Joy for environmentalists as California blocks bid for $1.4bn desalination plant

[Still Waters]

A California coastal panel on Wednesday rejected a long-standing proposal to build a $1.4b seawater desalination plant to turn Pacific Ocean water into drinking water as the state grapples with persistent drought that is expected to worsen in coming years with climate change.

The state’s Coastal Commission voted unanimously to deny a permit for Poseidon Water to build a plant to produce 50 million gallons of water a day in Huntington Beach, southeast of Los Angeles.

Poseidon said it was disappointed in the decision.

“California continues to face a punishing drought, with no end in sight,” a company statement said. “Every day, we see new calls for conservation as reservoir levels drop to dangerous lows. We firmly believe that this desalination project would have created a sustainable, drought-tolerant source of water.”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/may/13/california-desalination-plant-huntington-beach

[Buzz_Light_Year]

California the state of "Progress" deserves it's demise.

[Myles]

It's a shame that the discahrge cannot be land applied or used in a different way.

[Piney]

Lawns, water parks, ornamental plants which need heavy watering....etc.

Also they need a recycled wastewater plan.

[+and-then]

Israel finally bowed to the necessity of artificially augmenting their water supply, years ago.  The older methods produced lots of waste and were very energy inefficient but they've improved both of those issues and raised output at the same time.  IMO, California is run by people who are either too stupid or too mindlessly political to be in the job of leading - ANYONE.  If the state's agriculture and tourism collapse, Tech alone cannot save the state.

[Tatetopa]

Hard choices.  Do you let your state dry up and burn or  degrade a portion of the coast?  Sure doesn't seem like a joy for environmentalists to me, but maybe I am missing something.

Or as @Pineysays, maybe time to slow down on the lawns, water parks and non-drought tolerant landscaping.