Water Quality

Water is a huge problem in Southern California because nearly 20 million people live in a semi-arid desert environment than can only support a fraction of that population with local water supplies. Historically, the region has had to import water from Northern California and the Colorado River in order to prosper and grow. With imported supplies now limited, MWD is encouraging conservation, reclamation, water transfers, desalination, and other local initiatives to diversify the region’s water supply.

It certainly is a big challenge. The region likely will add 5 million more people in the next 20 years. With limited imported water supplies, we need to do more with conservation and reclamation. And we need to find new urban supplies, either by purchasing more agricultural water or by desalination.

Steve Erie

Steven P. Erie is a professor of political science, an adjunct professor of history, and the director of the Urban Studies and Planning program at UCSD.

Board of Advisors
Green tech Foundation

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