Even building desalination plants is doomed by NIMBYs wielding environmental laws and the costal commission to block any project

Have you tried building a subsurface well? Last project didn't want to build one even though the desal plant would otherwise have negatively impacted local wildlife, including marine animals in and around sensitive estuary habitat.

That and brine are legitimate concerns.

Also cost. The desal project in Huntington Beach was projected to increase local water prices.