4/01/2015

On the "Prowl" For the Day: On the Water Challenge in #California

As we here @ #outsiders were assessing our World and sharing daily insights on the "Grid", we saw this as noted by the Wall Street Journal:




What is clear is that those of us in California (where #outsiders is) have a challenge before us to step up and do what we can to help save Water in lieu of the unprecedented order by Governor Brown.      It was of interest in a major way as Around the Capital's + Scott Lay in his "The Nooner" Update shared this on the Governor's Plans to help further mitigate this life and death challenge as noted in his newsletter received by us here @ #Outsiders within the past 30 minutes: 

 


GOVERNOR PROPOSES SECOND CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT TO ADDRESS WATER CRISIS
Today, at a press conference at the Phillips Station in the Sierras where the April snowpack measurement was taken, Governor Jerry Brown proposed the largest public works project in California's history, continuing the Brown family legacy. A major component of the legacy of the governor's father, Edmund G. Brown, is the California Aqueduct, which is named in his honor.
The news comes amidst what is expected to be the lowest snowpack water equivalent in history.
The new aqueduct would parallel the existing aqueduct and would have tunnels that connect to Sacramento, extending further north than the existing aqueduct, which originates at the southern end of the Bay-Delta.
The aqueduct would also be unique in another way--it ends in water, but doesn't start that way. The aqueduct seeks to solve Califiornia's water problem through the ultimate recycling--turning urine into safe drinking water. "The technology is safe for our astronauts, why can't it be safe for us?" said an administration source who was not authorized to speak on the record. He continued "This is the Tang of our time." 
The aqueduct would collect urine from the Bay Area, Sacramento, and Central Valley and convey the liquids to a purifying plant just north of the Edmonston Pumping Plant at the base of the Tehachapis. Near the huge pipes viewable from I-5 that currently carry water over the pass to Lake Castaic and other reservoirs, a large plant would be built that would use proven technology to convert the matter into safe drinking water and electricity. After purification, the clean water would be pumped into the existing aqueduct and pumping system. The water would be purified and tested again in the same manner as existing aqueduct water.
According to a fact sheet obtained from the Administration, the average person produces between 800 and 2000 milliliters of urine per day, of which 95% is water in a healthy person. This would result in approximately 13 million liters (3.4 milion gallons) of urine flowing from Northern California into the aqueduct daily, supplemented by the "flushing" water associated with the waste. Federal standards require new toilets to have a maximum of 1.6 gallons/flush.
Not everyone is sold on the plan. "This is Sacramento literally p*ssing on us," said Bob White of Simi Valley-based Californians for Fresh Drinking Water. Peter E. Eckhardt, President of the Jefferson State is more optimistic, saying "This might just keep the Jeffersonian counties in Califiornia. We love the idea of keeping more of our water for our farms and flooding Los Angeles with our waste."
Details are expected to be included in the governor's May Revision of the 2015-16 Budget Act. 
The official name of the project is "Golden Showers for the Golden State."




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