Desalination gets a serious look

[Mugu]

By Phoebe Sweet

As the West dries up, water managers, politicians and environmental groups alike are searching for an option — any option — to create water.

Recently, desalination has been the popular answer. Even the Southern Nevada Water Authority, which has said the technology is no silver bullet, is considering desalting despite its many challenges.

Last month, Gov. Jim Gibbons made waves when he said he would rather see Las Vegas rely on desalination plants on the Pacific coast than on the controversial planned pipeline to move rural Nevada water to Las Vegas.

Southern Nevada Water Authority General Manager Pat Mulroy has not talked with the governor since he made those comments in Fallon on Feb. 21, but last week she said Gibbons just doesn’t understand how complex it would be to build a desalting plant on the coast of California or Mexico and trade the water it produces for more water from the Colorado River.


Complete article at:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/mar/21/desalination-gets-serious-look/