Navigating Water Scarcity: Surf Pools vs. Golf Courses in the Desert

The growing business of surf pools wants to bring the ocean experience inland, making surfing more accessible to communities far from the coasts.

These pools can use—and lose—millions upon millions of gallons of water every year. With many planned for areas facing water scarcity, who bears the cost of building the perfect wave?

This story was written by senior features and investigations reporter Eileen Guo and narrated by Noa.