If I understand correctly, hasn't desalinization been proven a successful undertaking in places such as Saudi Arabia? Why then is this process not accelerating in view of predicted global water shortages? Is the cost currently prohibitive?
2006-07-09 14:03:27 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Environment
Desalinization plants are very expensive and slow to supply a large community.
2006-07-09 14:07:42 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Desalination can be a very expensive process. If drinking water is the intended result, the price is often much higher than that from fresh water sources. The high price comes from the need to use energy in the process. Three kilowatt hours are needed to produce just one gallon of desalinated water.
Despite its relatively high costs, desalination is used in areas of the world without fresh water supplies, such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and North Africa. Together, those areas produce 2/3 of the world's desalinated water.
Desalination is important because it could help to solve severe water problems. The UN's World Health Organization estimates that poor drinking water kills 25 million people every year.
2006-07-09 14:18:32 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The cost is not so much prohibitive, as it is way more expensive than alternatives most places.
As long as their are conservation opportunities and other reasonable water sources desalination will not be economically viable (it is usually pretty envergy intensive)
In places where there are not better alternative (on some ocean going vessels, in some very arid coastal areas) it is used and will be used.
There is very little incentive for anyone to employ de-salinization before it is really needed
2006-07-09 14:13:04 · answer #3 · answered by enginerd 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are many ways to increase freshwater supplies. Desalinization is only one way. Conservation, reuse, increased efficiency, water purchases/transfers are usually the first methods used before desalinization is deemed necessary.
2006-07-09 14:15:25 · answer #4 · answered by Verves2 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It takes a lot of energy to desalt sea water. It only makes sense in an oil rich country that also has very little fresh water. Anywhere else, you just get the water for free from a lake or river or well.
2006-07-09 15:04:39 · answer #5 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It requires a huge amount of energy so is uneconomic in all but the richest and driest places.
2006-07-09 14:08:54 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋