Monday, April 28, 2025 | 2 a.m.
The April 21 story “Recycling wastewater may assist save Colorado River” concerning Nevada and Arizona treating wastewater and returning it to the Colorado River system was each inspiring and irritating.
The entire states within the Colorado drainage basin must be actively engaged on methods to preserve and reuse water. Nevada leads the best way, however our state alone can’t make a lot of a dent in the issue with out cooperation from different states. They usually appear oblivious.
One main step towards conserving water would, on the similar time, tackle the vitality wants of a rising inhabitants within the West: overlaying canals with photo voltaic panels.
If California and Arizona would set up photo voltaic panels to cowl their concrete irrigation canals, the plentiful solar would assist contribute a major quantity of vitality to the grid through the day, when air con use is at its highest. On the similar time, the photo voltaic panels overlaying the concrete canals would considerably scale back evaporation, which in any other case wastes water.
It is a win-win state of affairs. Any cash invested in a venture like this may be nicely spent. All it takes is a couple of enlightened politicians to open their eyes to the likelihood. Hopefully some will, although I’m a bit skeptical of all politicians as of late. Their main (and maybe solely) goal, it appears, is reelection. Nonetheless, one can hope.
