Need water? Try the sea

Regarding John Mundy's "Guest Opinion" in last week's Acorn titled "Don't let the well go dry," it's hard for me to imagine a dry well given that I'm 20 minutes from a huge ocean, the technology to remove salt from water has been around for quite some time and I live in California, land of innovation.

So, how is that we don't have at least one relatively large desalination plant on our coast? I mean it's not as if we are threatened by hurricanes to the extent that is the eastern seaboard.

It would seem to me that if our elected officials and water utility professionals are "dedicated to one simple goal- a reliable flow of safe, clean water that is available on demand," how come no desalination plants? Water not safe? Water not clean? No money to invest? Or haven't figured out how to make money off it?

Funny, seems we haven't invested in plants in a long time and what with the economy now facing a serious downturn, probably not going to see that investment for quite a while going forward. Here's a suggestion: Find the money, build the desalination plant and in the process create jobs, and the end result just might be "safe, clean water that is available on demand." And, while we're at it, build a refinery or two. Would also create jobs and just might lower prices at the pump enough to get the country moving again- in, hopefully, more fuelefficient and alternative fuel vehicles. Dan Gersten Agoura Hills