California Dreams and Water Solutions

The Salton Sea has a rich and intriguing history. This extremely large salty lake and its water quality issues play an important role in the ongoing saga of water availability for the millions living in arid Southern California.

California is and has always been under duress due to the dual pressures of high demand and low water availability. Poor water quality compounds the problem. The Salton Sea receives runoff from farmland irrigation, which keeps the lake high in salts, other minerals, and toxic contaminants like pesticides. These water quality issues are linked to epidemics that kill large numbers of birds periodically. Obviously, this has dangerous implications for humans.

One viable solution is reverse osmosis. Reverse osmosis is a high-pressure technology that cleans water up by forcing it through a filter. It can remove salt from fluids, turning saline water into potable water. Not only that, it can also remove other minerals and contaminants. In short, it can reclaim water that would otherwise be viewed as unusable.

Currently, a desalination plant is being built on the coast in San Diego County to help address the needs and dreams of its millions of residents. With reverse osmosis, not only ocean water but even the waters of the Salton Sea are a potential resource for this vital part of United States that is constantly searching for new water solutions.