美国国家公共电台 NPR--States dependent on Colorado River wonder if desalination could help the water supply

States dependent on Colorado River wonder if desalination¹ could help the water supply

Transcript²

Severe drought has states dependent on the Colorado River looking at alternatives. Desalinating seawater may be a viable³ supplement to some areas, but likely can't fix much of the river's deficit⁴.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

The Colorado River is shrinking. And a month ago, states that rely on it missed a federal deadline to propose ways to drastically cut back usage. So as the search continues for a comprehensive solution, some are asking if a process called desalination could help. As Alex Hager of member station KUNC reports, that particular technology comes with big tradeoffs.

(SOUNDBITE OF WATER RUSHING)

ALEX HAGER, BYLINE⁵: It's a picture-perfect afternoon in Southern California. The sun is beating down on a volleyball game in the sand. And a surfer is paddling out into the waves. And just across the road from the beach, this salty seawater is getting a new life at the largest desalination plant on the continent.

(SOUNDBITE OF WATER POURING)

HAGER: Michelle Peters, the plant's technical manager, pours a glass from the tap.

MICHELLE PETERS: At 10 a.m., you have the morning surfers swimming in it just off the - you know, off the coast in the ocean here. Carlsbad - now it's high-quality drinking water, ready for consumption.

HAGER: Peters explains how this plant pulls from the ocean, removes the impurities⁶ and salt and makes that water drinkable. She walks through a sprawling⁷ web of tanks and pipes where the breeze delivers an occasional whiff of low tide.

PETERS: This is where the magic happens. This is really what makes desal desal. It's the heart of the site.

HAGER: Desalination isn't affected⁸ by drought. And San Diego County, which gets most of its water from the Colorado River, added this facility to make themselves less reliant on water sources that could dry up. With federal managers asking states all around this parched⁹ region to make huge cuts in the water they use from the Colorado River, some are asking if plants like this could help other states. Earlier this year, for example, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey proposed funding a new desal facility across the border in Mexico in exchange for some of that country's Colorado River water.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

DOUG DUCEY: Instead of just talking about desalination, how about we pave the way to make it actually happen?

HAGER: But taking water from the ocean comes with a catch. It costs a lot of money just to make a little water ready to drink. And that water costs a lot to move. The whole thing is really energy-intensive.

JAY LUND: If they got desperate enough, that could work.

HAGER: Jay Lund studies the economics of water at the University of California Davis. He says before turning to desalination, cities should look to other ways to stretch their water supply - getting rid of lawns, capturing stormwater and recycling wastewater. And there's one other big alternative on his mind.

LUND: The bulk of the new water is almost certainly going to have to come from fallowing some of the agriculture, which is already most of the water used in the Western states.

HAGER: Nearly 80% of the water from the Colorado River is used by that sector¹⁰. And fallowing - or paying farmers and ranchers to pause growing on their land - would free up supply. While experts agree that desalination isn't going to solve the Colorado River crisis, Sharon Megdal, who studies water policy at the University of Arizona, says the Southwest shouldn't write it off completely.

SHARON MEGDAL: When we're looking at the full mix and the full portfolio¹¹, I think there's a role for desalinated seawater. And the fact is it will take time to get projects permitted and built, and so you have to think ahead.

HAGER: Megdal says desalination is still worth more research. Even though it may not be a silver bullet, it could be a small part of diversifying¹² the water supply in some areas as the Colorado River keeps drying up.

For NPR News, I'm Alex Hager in Carlsbad, Calif.

(SOUNDBITE OF DIRTY PROJECTORS SONG, "STILLNESS IS THE MOVE")

1 desalination   

n.脱盐(作用)

参考例句：

• Crops can be grown on this land after desalination. 这片土地经过脱盐就可以种植庄稼了。
• One source is by desalination-taking the salt out of salt water to make it drinkable. 淡水的来源之一是使水淡化--把含盐的水中的盐份去掉，使之能够饮用。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

4 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

5 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

6 impurities   

不纯( impurity的名词复数 )； 不洁； 淫秽； 杂质

参考例句：

• A filter will remove most impurities found in water. 过滤器会滤掉水中的大部分杂质。
• Oil is refined to remove naturally occurring impurities. 油经过提炼去除天然存在的杂质。

7 sprawling   

adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）

参考例句：

• He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。
• a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇

8 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

9 parched   

adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干

参考例句：

• Hot winds parched the crops.热风使庄稼干透了。
• The land in this region is rather dry and parched.这片土地十分干燥。

10 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

11 portfolio   

n.公事包；文件夹；大臣及部长职位

参考例句：

• He remembered her because she was carrying a large portfolio.他因为她带着一个大公文包而记住了她。
• He resigned his portfolio.他辞去了大臣职务。

12 diversifying   

v.使多样化，多样化( diversify的现在分词 )；进入新的商业领域

参考例句：

• Some publishers are now diversifying into software. 有些出版社目前正兼营软件。 来自辞典例句
• Silverlit is diversifying into new markets, such as Russia and Eastern Europe. Silverlit正在使他们的市场变得多样化，开发新的市场如俄罗斯和东欧国家。 来自互联网