Seawater desalination is gaining traction as a potential solution to water supply challenges in California, but economics – specifically, the cost of the water produced and the complex financial arrangements needed to develop a project –  will ultimately determine the success and extent of this technology. This report provides communities and decision makers with information needed to make decisions about building desalination plants along the California coast, and elsewhere.

This report is part of a series launched in 2012 identifying the key outstanding issues for desalination in the state: cost and financing; energy use and associated greenhouse gas emissions; and marine impacts.

Interactive Map: Existing Seawater Desalination Plants in California, December 2015

Interactive Map: Proposed Seawater Desalination Plants in California, December 2015

Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emisions

Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Proposed Facilities

Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Marine Impacts