This week, an article that caught my eye was on a proposed plan to pipe desalinated water from the Gulf of Mexico to the Phoenix area. Such a project could be a boon to civil engineers, but is it good for society? One might argue it defers the need to make difficult decisions on water resource allocation and water use limitations. And then, there are the environmental and social consequences of the location of the desalinization plant in another country. How should we think about this as ethical and responsible civil engineers?
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Mitch Winkler P.E., M.ASCE
Houston, TX
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