Live data from Hacker News

It's 2024 and drought is optional

asteriskmag.com

11–20 of 54 posts

Re: It's 2024 and drought is optional

#11
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is Tijuana, Mexico part of the Southern California megalopolis? That doesn't make much sense and I wouldn't consider San Diego part of the LA/OC megalopolis either, especially since there's a mountain range separating them with not much civilization in between. Either way, we've got enough people to invade Australia and no Kokoda Trail is going to help them this time! We must get a plan to Gavin Newsom’s desk at…

Australia pre infiltrated California with eucalyptus sleeper groves decades ago ... one tossed ciggie and Cali's toast.

I guess the huge wildfires in Australia a few years ago were a dry run?

Re: It's 2024 and drought is optional

#12
Huh; so desalinated water costs between $0.001 to $0.008 depending on the cost of the power.

I pay about $0.0136 / gallon so almost 10x the cost of producing.

Seems like (for non-agricultural use) we will be able to afford desalination -- I guess the real issue will be agricultural uses which are predicated on free water.

Re: It's 2024 and drought is optional

#14
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Australia pre infiltrated California with eucalyptus sleeper groves decades ago ... one tossed ciggie and Cali's toast.

I guess the huge wildfires in Australia a few years ago were a dry run?

Like the Trinity test on home soil before unleashing hell in Japan . . .

It's all true! We've even planted counter intell to misdirect!

https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/science-envir...

Re: It's 2024 and drought is optional

#16
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This gives Southern California including LA a listing as a single supercity population 24.4 million which is close but not quite there. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_megalopolises

How is Tijuana, Mexico part of the Southern California megalopolis? That doesn't make much sense and I wouldn't consider San Diego part of the LA/OC megalopolis either, especially since there's a mountain range separating them with not much civilization in between. Either way, we've got enough people to invade Australia and no Kokoda Trail is going to help them this time! We must get a plan to Gavin Newsom’s desk at…

The only thing that stops San Diego from being connected to LA/OC is the Camp Pendleton Marine base for about 7 miles. Basically you can go from Tijuana all the way up the coast to LA and only have that stretch not populated with civilians.

Re: It's 2024 and drought is optional

#20

Huh; so desalinated water costs between $0.001 to $0.008 depending on the cost of the power. I pay about $0.0136 / gallon so almost 10x the cost of producing. Seems like (for non-agricultural use) we will be able to afford desalination -- I guess the real issue will be agricultural uses which are predicated on free water.

Making desalinated water is relatively cheap. You can do it with a clear tarp and sunlight. Desalination at scale is less cheap. Almost all water is cheap.

One (there are several) problem with desalination is that it often has to compete with free.

In many parts of North America the water is actually free. Like New York City-- their water falls from the sky in upstate NY, for free, into reservoirs that are not free to maintain to be distributed by colossal public works projects which are 100% not free.

Pumping water, desalinated or not, to your house is not free.

Whoever is charging you $0.0136/gal for water may indeed (especially if you don't live in an arid region with strange water rights laws) be charging you $0.0136/gal to pump water to your house and $0.0000/gal for the actual water.

If they switch to a desalinated source it is highly likely they will charge you $0.0136/gal + ≥$0.0010/gal = ≥$0.0146/gal.

Of course, if you live near a source of salt water you can cut out the middleman and, after massive up-front capital outlays, desalinate your own water for ≥$0.001/gal assuming you live long enough to recoup the cost of the initial expense.

Post reply on HN