San Diego County has long faced drought conditions. But a new desalination plant has changed all that, allowing the area to get 50 million gallons of fresh drinking water everyday, or enough to serve 400,000 people and 10 percent of the area’s water supply.

California, of course, has suffered through what seems like an endless drought. The result has pitted interest groups against one another for access to available supplies. But the problem is particularly felt around the world, especially in the Middle East and Africa.