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多年以来,由于受到西部地区干旱和科罗拉多河水供应量减少的双重挤压,加州一直对水“求之若渴”。现在,它把目光转向了在许多人看来是明显不过了的水源上:太平洋。长期以来在加州,海水淡化作为一种饮用水源由于其成本昂贵而多半受到抑制。但是,随着用水量的增加,供应量的减少以及新技术使海水脱盐越来越便宜,海水淡化的经济性正在发生变化。向1 800万个消费者提供服务的“南加州都市水区”(MWD)的发言人艾达·奥特嘉说,海水淡化尽管昂贵,但它不再是其他世界的专利品。MWD正在批准计划,向五座海水淡化工厂提供补助,这些建议由当地水务机构提出的。到2007年,这些工厂可以供应MWD的7%的用户。MWD主席菲利普·佩思说,虽然它
Over the years, California has been “desperate for water” due to the double squeeze of dwindling in the western region and declining water supplies in the Colorado River. Right now, it turns its attention to what many seemingly obvious sources of water: the Pacific Ocean. For a long time now in California, desalination as a source of potable water was largely suppressed due to its high cost. However, the economics of seawater desalination are changing as water usage increases, supply decreases, and new technologies make seawater desalination cheaper and cheaper. Ida Otega, a spokesman for Southern California Waterworks (MWD), which serves 18 million consumers, said desalination is no longer a patented product in other worlds, albeit expensive. MWD is approving plans to provide subsidies to five desalination plants proposed by local water agencies. By 2007, these plants will supply 7% of MWD’s customers. Philippe Perth, MWD chairman, said though