Commentary
Standing on the site of a new desalination facility in Antioch, Calif., Governor Newsom recently announced a new water supply strategy. In his remarks, he introduced a disruptive and encouraging theme, one that injects long overdue and much needed balance into the discussion over how to address California’s water crisis.
“So much of the water conversation in this state has been about conservation, a scarcity mindset,” Newsom said. “That’s a relatively small component of the overall strategy we are introducing here today … [Now], we are focusing on creating more water.”
It would be premature to be cynical about the governor’s remarks. Sooner or later, California’s ruling elite will have to face an inescapable truth: During multi-year droughts, conservation alone cannot possibly balance supply and demand for water. The shortfall, or the required sacrifices, is simply too big….