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One way out of a drought? Technology that makes water potable.

Jul 18, 2022
The California communities of Santa Monica and Avalon are conserving water but also using desalination to increase the supply.
The touristy beach town of Avalon, on California's Catalina Island, used to have severe drought restrictions. Now it uses desalination to make saltwater into freshwater.
Caleigh Wells/KCRW

San Diego taps a bottomless well: the Pacific Ocean

May 17, 2016
A new desalination plant supplies 10 percent of arid San Diego's water.
The site of the Carlsbad desalination plant.
Bovlb/Wikimedia Commons

Santa Barbara takes a second shot at desalination

Jan 25, 2016
A desalination plant built in the 90's mothballed when El Nino rains ended a drought.

UPDATE: Giant desalination plant faces key test in San Diego

Nov 29, 2012
An effort to build the Western Hemisphere's largest seawater desalination plant faces a crucial test today, as San Diego's regional water agency votes on whether to buy all the water the plant would make.