Desalinated Water Costs Exceed Farm Revenue
California leaders estimate new desalination projects would cost $3,400 to $3,700 per acre-foot, more than twice the average farm revenue from the same irrigation water.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Agriculture
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Should governments spend heavily on seawater desalination to ease water shortages?
California state leaders estimate that new desalination projects would cost $3,400 to $3,700 per acre-foot of water. That cost is more than twice the average farm revenue generated from the same amount of irrigation water.
Why it matters
Western farmers facing water shortages may find desalinated water financially unworkable for many crops. The gap between water cost and farm revenue frames the economic limits of seawater treatment for agriculture in California.
State leaders estimate desalination at $3,400 to $3,700 per acre-foot, more than double average farm revenue from the same irrigation water. Lettuce, strawberries, and almonds could face thousands of dollars in additional costs per acre if desalinated water were used.
The players
California State Leaders
Officials whose cost estimates for new desalination projects form the basis of the reporting.
The details
Desalination turns seawater into freshwater, but it requires substantial energy and infrastructure investments. Those costs are the basis for state leaders' estimates that the water would be far more expensive than the revenue farms earn from irrigation water.
Timeline
Article on desalination costs for Western farmers published November 4, 2026.
Market Landscape
Desalination is one of several options California has considered to add water supply as irrigated agriculture competes for limited supplies across the West. The cost comparison against farm revenue shows why seawater treatment is a difficult fit for many crops.
If desalinated water were used for irrigation, growers of lettuce, strawberries, and almonds could face thousands of dollars in added costs per acre. Those added costs would ripple into the prices and availability of produce that households buy.
The takeaway
Water supply decisions for Western agriculture depend on whether new sources can be paid for by the crops they irrigate. At current estimates, desalination costs more than the revenue farms generate from the same water.
Further reading
For more on the crops and water economics behind this debate, see Agriculture coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by RFD-TV.
Live Poll
Should governments spend heavily on seawater desalination to ease water shortages?
