Ocean desalination is an urgent necessity for Orange County. As California faces mandatory water restrictions for the first time in history, we need to be pursuing all of our options. I often hear versions of the question, “How will Orange County protect itself from this systemic water crisis?” As a scientist, doctor and father, desal is a commonsense answer. It’s really a no-brainer. We’re blessed with an abundant water source (the Pacific Ocean) at our doorstep, so let’s tap it. But, as an elected official representing the public, I know that it’s imperative to also contemplate costs and taxpayer risk.

It’s the fourth year of California’s historic drought, and there’s no end in sight. We need realistic solutions to ensure our state’s water security, and we need to take preventative action.

Residents and businesses are doing their part to cut consumption, but it’s only part of the equation. Our policymakers need to act to ensure we have new, reliable sources of water, and that means desalination for communities with the need for reliable drinking water but increasingly expensive imported water.
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The California Coastal Commission is nearing a decision on whether or not to allow the construction of a new desalination plant in Huntington Beach. Read the full article online at marinij.com .