An experimental technology now in testing holds the promise of revolutionizing California’s depleted water supply. California spends billions to store water, pump water and recycle water. But even with climate change bearing down, one strategy is a tougher sell: desalinating water and pulling it from the sea. Just ask Tim Quinn, Ph.D., who spent four decades as one of the state’s top water managers. “Every step in traditional desalination is hugely fraught with controversy,” Quinn said. There are roughly a dozen desalination plants operating in California, including the massive Carlsbad plant at San Diego. But approval of new plants is typically met with fierce opposition from many environmental groups. Now, Quinn and his colleagues, at a startup called OceanWell, believe they have a system that’s much safer for the environment.