Florida state official urges more seawater desalination

Florida, which is about to become the third most populous state in the USA, has been urged by its agriculture commissioner, Adam Putnam, to invest more in seawater desalination to combat water scarcity.

In an editorial in ContextFlorida, the commissioner says that the introduction of water-saving irrigation technology and wastewater-reuse schemes has saved large amounts of water but will not be sufficient.

“Droughtproof water supplies, like seawater desalination, should be more aggressively pursued and included in water planning as future sources of Florida’s water supply,” Putnam writes. “The collection and storage of water for groundwater recharge and as an alternative source of water should continue to be encouraged with incentives to attract private landowner participation.”