making drinking h2o from salt h2o is simple why isnt it done in needy countries to be more self reliant?

Question

every u.s. ship has the ability to do this and is fairly simple and cheap

Answer 1

Ships can do this because they have an abundant source of waste heat from the engines. Also the demand is relatively small. Drinking, washing and cooking. They can use sea water to flush toilets.

Desalinating water uses an lot of power, whether reverse osmosis or flash distillation. Most places do not do it because it is just far too expensive and then you have to pipe the water perhaps hundreds of miles to where it is needed. It is not repeat not cheap.

However solar operated stills can produce a lot of water using solar energy. Drinking, washing, cooking. Not enough for irrigation though.

The problem in many 3rd world countries is not lack of water, it is too much water carrying water-borne diseases like malaria, bilharzia and dysentery. Another problem is lack of transport facilities.

Answer 2

There's a big difference between a desalination unit on a single ship and one that could supply a whole country, I would think. Plus, does it not require a power source?
I live in what some people consider a "needy" country, and we're all islands, so plenty of sea water -- yet it is far cheaper and simpler to just punch a well when someone needs water. Usually done completely with manpower, no machinery involved. Water is not a problem here.

Answer 3

Most of these countries are pretty freakin poor,, they have water enough most of the time, which the people can purify,, food is more time consuming,, water purification is expensive and electricity hungry,, not ideal for a poor country to invest in.

Answer 4

Energy.