The brine could potentially be recycled into ordinary table salt...
Well in the central valley they just let a lot of the water drain back into the ocean.... if they like built a dam.... Nah that is preposterous...
What California really needs is more immigrants and high speed trains!
They should be building several of these instead of that stupid misbegotten “high speed” train to nowhere.
The government should have rewards for inventing items they deemed necessary for America survival. A 10 billion dollar prize for inventing desalination technology that first certain requirements would be a good start.
The brine issue is something that can be mitigated. It is not a technological given that it necessarily has to become an environmental issue.
The other 16 plants on the drawing boards should be built toot sweet.
If and when the drought goes away, Californians must acknowledge it will be back, again, and again, and again. They should not close desalinization plants merely when the drought goes temporarily away. Instead, when the state is not dealing with drought conditions, the plants can continue to operate at less than Maximum capacity; continue to be well maintained; and help provide water to the state water storage systems when not needed for immediate consumption.