Desalination Doesn’t Pencil Out for Western Agriculture | Farm Bureau Intel Markets | American Farm Bureau Federation
Daniel Munch, Former AFBF Economist
Key Takeaways
- Desalination may expand municipal and industrial supplies, but its high cost, energy demands, and infrastructure requirements make it impractical as a direct replacement for large-scale agricultural irrigation.
- Estimated costs for new seawater desalination in California range from $3,400 to $3,700 per acre-foot, more than twice the average gross farm revenue per acre-foot of applied water.
- Even at a lower price of $3,000 per acre-foot, desalinated water would significantly increase costs for lettuce, strawberry, and almond operations, already facing negative margins.
- City water and farm water are distinct products. City water requires extensive treatment and distribution infrastructure to meet drinking water standards, while irrigation water needs less treatment.
- The Colorado River is a critical water system in the West, supporting diverse interests, including agriculture.
Note: This summary highlights the main points of the original text.