The Problem With Palm Trees

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The environment is bearing the brunt of our water consumption to keep the taps on so to speak. Many, many water utilities get a huge amount of revenue from water sales. The Samwell keem river for decades has been dry,. and it used to flow north into the to the Sacramento Delta entire lakes have been drained Owens Lake to Lori Lake.

David Zetland of Leiden University College in the Netherlands and author of Living with Water Scarcity talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the challenges of water management. Issues covered include the sustainability of water supplies, the affordability of water for the poor, the incentives water companies face, and the management of water systems in the poorest countries. Also discussed are the diamond and water paradox, campaigns to reduce water usage, and the role of prices in managing a water system.