Water Scarcity

Globally, many people face a daily struggle to find a safe, dependable water supply. Sometimes the problem is water availability, with too many people relying on the same source; at other times, it’s degraded water quality, with an ample water supply but one that is unsafe to drink. In the western United States, too often large cities (e.g., Los Angeles, Las Vegas) have been built in areas with grossly inadequate water supplies. With hotter temperatures and long-term drought becoming a fixture in the western United States, combined with extreme weather events that threaten existing reservoirs, water supply problems will likely continue to grow. In this unit, you’ll consider three options that a small California town might employ to maintain an adequate water supply in the face of the changing climate: installation of a desalination plant, a potable water reuse system, and construction of a new reservoir. Your evaluation should balance economic, social, and environmental needs to help ensure that your chosen solution will meet the needs of this small community.