An Alaska company is looking to ship water from the Blue Lake in Sitka to California as a way to help the ongoing water drought in the Golden State. Surely, California is in need of water and Alaska obviously has a lot to offer. A certain water company comes up with a brilliant proposal.
According to Daily Breeze report, U.S. Rep. Janice Hahn, D-San Diego was intrigued by the idea when she noticed an article about it last month. She then gathered representatives from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and other area water districts to vet the possibilities.
Among those on hand to answers questions in the meeting is Terry Trapp, CEO of Alaska Bulk Water. He said after the meeting, "There's a lot of enthusiasm but there's also clearly a lot of work.''
Representative Hahn suggested Catalina Island as the area that could make use of such a plan.
While "nobody said it wasn't going to work,'' Hahn said, shipping water from Alaska to Southern California is not easy task. The infrastructure, pipelines and storage facilities would have to be built at the ports. The water may result to be more expensive than the current water from water districts.
The idea of pitching water from Alaska isn't new. Hahn said that when his father was still serving on the Board of Supervisors in the 1980s, he already had the idea about developing a water pipeline from Alaska to California, but it was never built.
"I think everyone was pleased to hear the concept," the congresswoman said. "Long term, it might fit into an overall water use plan."
If water is to be shipped in from a pristine lake in Sitka, the people of Southern California would feel a little relief.
Sitka gets 100 inches of rain every year and it can well replenish the water taken from it.
Curbed said it is noted that the water from Alaska Bulk Water would be more expensive than the water from water districts.
Southern California has become desperate and creative and even considering getting some water from Las Vegas.