More Countries Turn Saltwater Into Fresh Water
It is nothing new. Kuwait gets 90% of its fresh water from salt water in a process known as desalination, which started in 1951. The nation uses a seawater reverse osmosis desalination system. IDE defines that as “a mechanical process in which a pressure greater than the natural osmotic pressure is applied on seawater that passes through a semipermeable membrane (RO membrane) which rejects the salts in seawater, creating a stream of fresh water and a separate stream of concentrated seawater.”
Spain Has Success
According to The New York Times, Spain needs water it does not have. “To supply water for a number of needs, from tourism to agriculture, the country and other dry nations are increasingly relying on desalination plants that convert seawater into fresh water.” Spain has more capacity for this than any nation in Europe.
Spain and Kuwait are not alone. It is also used in Australia, China, and Israel. One reason is the lack of access to fresh water due to location. More recently, drought has triggered a greater need.
A Need In California
California, with its severe drought and hundreds of miles along the salty Pacific Ocean,, is the ideal place for the technology. However, according to CNBC, “Desalination plants are costly to operate, require enormous amounts of energy and are difficult to manage in an environmentally friendly way, according to water policy experts.” To make matters worse, AI and Bitcoin mining have recently strained energy resources in the US. New Mexico has a similar problem.
What works for Kuwait and Spain does not appear to work for California. The effects of this are particularly difficult for the aged.
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