So-why are we pumping our waste out into the sea and depending on damns/desalination?

[Stravinsk]

Just food for thought. I came across this tonight researching water purifying techniques and thought it was cool. Every city - especially those sensitive or prone to water shortages - should have one.

I want one. But it looks too big and complicated for single/residential use.

 

[Josiah]

As I understand it, at least in California, the wastewater treatment laws are such that what is being put into the ocean is cleaner than the ocean - not quite potable but pretty clean.

In an area where we use a LOT more water than nature here provides (thus, something like 80% of our water is "imported" - transported here from northern California and the Colorado River), we especially need to move to recycled and reclaimed water (yup, "toilet to tap" LOL) - the technology is well in place, it just requires a lot of infrastructure. We already have a large desalination plant and that may be needed, too. Sure - conservation is needed, as well as better water transfer but mainly we need to stop talking and start implementing water reclamation on a large scale.

Yeah, it's pretty disgusting what the planet is doing with the oceans..... some of which is one big garbage dump. We need to stop over-fishing too.


- Josiah