Introduction:

Good [morning/afternoon/evening]. My name is Cedric Bonsol and this is my partner,

Eric Johnston, oth from !rancisco Bravo Medical Magnet "igh #chool. $his to%rnament&s
resol%tion is '(esolved: desalination is the sol%tion to #o%thern California&s )ater crises.*
+hile desalination may seem feasile %nder the concept that it co%ld help California&s
dro%ght prolem, this ro%nd, Eric and , )ill negate this resol%tion, on the premises of
-.. /esalination&s high energy costs
0.. /esalination&s high economic costs
and 1.. /esalination&s destr%ction of the environment
Contention 1 is High Energy:
2ccording to f%t%redirections.org, 'Energy is the most e3pensive component of r%nning a
desalination plant4 it is often more responsile for one5third to more than half of the cost
of desalination. $herefore, the cost of desalinated fresh )ater is more v%lnerale to the
6%ct%ation of energy prices than any other )ater so%rce.*
2cco%nting for this, desalination )o%ld s%stantially increase the amo%nt of energy that
California )o%ld need to contin%e r%nning its po)er5h%ngry infrastr%ct%ral pro7ects. $his
means that California )o%ld have to )or8 factories harder to prod%ce eno%gh energy
needed for the f%nction of )ater desalination pro7ects.
2ndre) "ernon of Bloomerg 9e)s reports that, '/esalination plants on average %se
ao%t -:,;;; 8ilo)att5 ho%rs of po)er for every million gallons of fresh )ater that&s
prod%ced... ,n comparison, )aste)ater re%se dra)s as m%ch as <,1;; 8ilo)att5 ho%rs of
po)er for the same vol%me and importing a similar amo%nt of )ater into #o%thern
California re=%ires as m%ch as ->,;;; 8ilo)att5ho%rs of electricity...
2 0: percent increase in energy e3penses )o%ld raise the cost of prod%cing )ater y
ao%t ? percent and -: percent at reverse osmosis and thermal desalination plants
respectively... Electricity prices in California are pro7ected to rise y ao%t 0@ percent
from 0;;< to 0;0; in in6ation5ad7%sted dollars as po)er grid infrastr%ct%re is maintained
or replaced, capacity is added and more rene)ale energy is integrated.*
C%rrently, California is already in an energy crisis. !%rther investing in desalination
)o%ld s%stantially increase the amo%nt of energy that California )o%ld re=%ire, th%s,
)orsening the energy crisis.
Contention 2 Economic Costs:
/esalination already ca%ses high )ithdra)als of po)er from California&s energy sector.
9ot only )o%ld California&s energy sector e press%red, %t also California&s economy
)o%ld ta8e a hard hit from high spending on the energy sector.
"ernon says that, 'Energy is the largest single e3pense for desalination plants,
acco%nting for as m%ch as half of the costs to ma8e drin8ing )ater from the sea...*
AaciBc instit%te also says that, '/esalination is energy intensive, ma8ing its already high
costs v%lnerale to rising energy prices. Electricity acco%nts for >>C of the typical )ater
costs of a reverse5osmosis plant. 2n energy rate increase of 0:C increases the cost of
prod%ced )ater y -- percent. Energy price %ncertainty creates costs that are
%ltimately paid y )ater %sers, %t pro7ect cost estimates often omit s%ch
considerations.*
#imply p%t, if California contin%es to f%rther invest in desalination infrastr%ct%re pro7ects,
it )o%ld ta8e a h%ge negative toll on CaliforniaDs economy.
Contention 3 is Environmental Destruction:
Subpoint A is the cean: 2ccording to marine environmental scientist #aine
Eattemann, desalination increases ocean salinity, h%rting ocean iodiversity. Basically
e3plained, this happens as a res%lt of desalination plants ta8ing salt)ater from the
ocean, processing it, 8eeping the fresh)ater, and d%mping the salt and minerals ac8
into the ocean, increasing ocean salinity, and negatively aFecting marine life. #he also
mentions that the )aste rine of desalination plants eing d%mped into the ocean
increase the amo%nt of chlorine, traces of heavy metals, antiscalants Gchemicals %sed to
help more eHciently desaliniIe )ater., coag%lants Gchemicals %sed to solidify salts and
minerals in ocean salt)ater., antifoaming agents, and cleaning chemicals d%mped into
the ocean. $ogether, these components of )aste rine contri%te to the massive loss of
life in the ocean, poisoning the nat%ral marine ecosystem.
Subpoint ! is "ildli#e: #ho%ld California contin%e f%rther investing in more
desalination plants, pro7ect )or8ers )o%ld have to tear do)n )ildlife, destroying the
environment.
Subpoint C is the Atmosphere: /esalination factories re=%ire electricity, )hich over
:;C of re=%ires the %rning of coal, )hich increases the amo%nt of greenho%se gases in
o%r atmosphere, intensifying gloal )arming, th%s f%rther harming )ildlife. !%rther
contri%ting to gloal )arming )o%ld e co%nterprod%ctive in the Bght against
California&s dro%ght and )ater crisis, and not only does gloal )arming aFect California&s
atmosphere, %t the greenho%se gas eFect spills over into other areas aro%nd California,
creating more holes in the J5Kone layer. 2dding onto that, as previo%sly mentioned,
investment in desalination )o%ld f%rther re=%ire the teardo)n of )ildlife, destroying the
environment and destroying trees, )hich help prod%ce o3ygen and strengthen the oIone
layer.