[blululu]

+ operating costs...

If San Diego needed to then they probably could, but this is generally one of the most expensive options. It is politically impossible, but it would probably be cheaper to pump water from the Klamath to San Diego than to extract it via desalinization.

[bombcar]

Parent post said the desal is cheaper than importation, which counted for 90%, so it doesn't seem insane on the surface.