For those hardcore progressives still against the Poseidon desalination plant in Huntington Beach, it’s not enough to point out that water from the Colorado River is significantly diminished in the midst of one of the hottest summers on record, there’s this report from CalMatters telling us there’s basically little water.
Here are some grim stats to ponder:
- 90% of the state is gripped by extreme or exceptional drought.
- Californians reduced their home water use by just 1.8% in July compared to the same time last year — despite a plea from Gov. Gavin Newsom to cut consumption by 15%.
- 40% of water suppliers in the South Coast region — which includes Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego and Ventura counties — actually used more water than they did last year.
- Water systems serving 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland could receive 0% of their allocation from the State Water Project next year.
- 80% of endangered winter-run Chinook salmon in the Sacramento River could die this year.
CalMatters reports Marin County water officials are actually competing with Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, to purchase three portable desalination plants to bolster water supplies. A reminder that 70% of the planet is covered in water but about one half of one percent is fresh water fit for consumption by living things.
It’s going to take five years from now to get the Poseidon plant online. Just how many more obvious signs from Mother Nature do we need to get started on this?