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SWAKOPMUND, Namibia – Under an African canopy of glittering stars, a desalination plant that could become a hello for many buzzing in the dark, pumping out millions of gallons of precious water to across a vast land pipeline.
Like me, the view is wonderful – and in the era of climate change and some experts predict that future wars will not be about oil but about water, the plant shines like a beacon in the night.
Unlike California, where water becomes more valuable than gold, the idea of turning seawater into drinking water looks like a miracle.
But the desalination plant, long delayed, on the coast of Orange County, the dream of turning Namibia into desalinated seawater remains as elusive as discovering water from well with a dowser's wand.
As the Huntington Beach Factory in late stage that promises to be re The desal factories are particularly complicated because the benefits depend on where you live, from whom you are and, of course, money.
As environmentalists and water officials in Southern California this week, some Namibians see The largest desalination plant in southern Africa is a bane too expensive while others consider it a gift.
"It's changed everything," says Siegmund Mengerssen, a long-time resident of Namibia. "It allowed us to do things we could never do."
But in villages where children run barefoot on dry, bony ground, with sharp stones and thorns, it is hard to swallow. In the city of Swakopmund, for example, the water is plentiful. Tourists are reminded to keep, but the liquid of life flows freely and without any constraint inserted into the Californian showerheads.
Rather than turning the Namibian deserts into an oasis of agriculture, much of the Erongo desalination plant north of Wlotzkasbaken feeds an open-pit mine that offers the greatest reserves of uranium in Namibia.
And in a nation with the second lowest number of residents per square mile in the world because of the little water, uranium can be as empty as empty promises. 19659012] Taste of the Water
During a mountain bike expedition earlier this month, I turn the tap to Swakopmund assured that drinking water is perfectly safe.
The crystal clear water overflows into my bladder for hydration. With a guide, my wife, a couple from England and three women from Australia, we ride out of town and into arid and steep terrain.
For a moment, a sandy beach forever – and nothing but sand – turquoise sea. Later, a pipeline too large to span stretches in the desert until it disappears.
A violent wind rips us, almost pushes us back and exfoliates the bare skin with blasting sand. Beside us, the gray python meanders to the horizon, the water rises to the inside.
At first, suck the desalinated seawater from my hydration bladder is fine. My mouth is dry and all that is wet helps to spit the sand that constantly enters between our teeth.
But after a few hours, the converted seawater ceases to taste like, well, water. It does not stink. But it has a metallic and pungent taste.
To put it in Southern California terms, the water desal is not as tasty as the sewage that you and I drink.
I wonder what Californian water will look like "
Sandra Müller, health, safety and environmental manager for the Trekkopjie uranium mine, describes the water of the central desal: "The desalinated water contains Now, I confess that I have not tried the water in the Omdel reservoir in Namibia, so I will take Müller at the word. I will also admit that Namibia's desalination water is probably better than that consumed by Americans, say, Flint, Michigan.
But if Southern California will pay for water desal, the taste should match the price the costs of the Huntington Beach plant should rival those of Evian
The lessons
Compare the projected price of desalinated water in Namibia to the water of Huntington Beach is more than difficult. The costs just do not fit.
The land alone on California's gold coast is astronomical relative to the value of the Namib Desert
In Namibia, it was planned to start building in 1998 at a cost of $ 100 million. In Huntington Beach, plant costs and distribution infrastructure are estimated at $ 1 billion
Southern California plant water prices are expected to rise from $ 1,200 to $ 1,800 per acre. There are also similarities between the two plants
Just like Huntington Beach's desalination plant, still dormant, the Namibian plant made a detour before it went into service in 2010 and continues to work. to have a bumpy road
The project bounced called Areva paid to build the factory.
It is no coincidence that Areva is the same company that operates the Areva Resources uranium mine. The extraction of minerals requires massive amounts of water.
But take a moment to think about what happened, especially if you are a climate change believer or a passionate ecologist
. an aggressive campaign to conserve water. At the same time, Namibia has had a few years of underground rainfall and groundwater.
Quickly – perhaps too quickly – the authorities decided that they no longer needed desalination.
But the rains fell. In a few years, severe drought conditions have returned.
A few years ago, Hilifa Mbako, General Manager of the Erongo Desalination Plant, warned: "Namibia will soon experience a hydrological drought and many areas will suffer. durable solution, and it is expensive and can have a price. "
Currently, the plant can produce 20 million cubic meters of water a year." The reports indicate that Namibia, with a population of 2.6 million – much less than the county. Orange – currently uses 70 million cubic meters a year
A few years ago, Areva proposed to sell the desalination plant in Namibia for $ 200 million or about twice the estimated cost of the The government would always consider the offer
As our ATV group moves towards Swakopmund, my bladder becomes dry
At that time, I drink almost everything.
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