After ten years of planning, the Carlsbad Desalination project began its construction in 2009 in an effort to increase fresh water access and... » More

After ten years of planning, the Carlsbad Desalination project began its construction in 2009 in an effort to increase fresh water access and availability. Unfortunately, the desalination of ocean waters has spurred a debate within the categories of environmental impacts, costs, benefits, and efficiency. This paper identifies the social and political processes that enabled the Carlsbad Desalination project to be adopted and implemented. This study investigates and examines the debate if desalination is a feasible solution to Southern California’s water crisis. In terms of its context, political and policy action has a strong role in desalination. After close observation, it became evident that a large percentile of San Diego residents lacked basic knowledge of desalination, which had a direct impact on their political and social position on the use of desalination as a solution to the water shortage. In the end, this research contributes to the debate on the public’s awareness of desalination and its political influences.

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