Water, Water Everywhere, So Let's All Have a Drink

There are numerous desal systems producing potable water worldwide. The main issue with all the RO technology is still the cost of power. If nuclear power were allowed to be developed in the USA, low cost power would be available for potable water productiom, hydrogen production (for fuel) and virtually unlimited uses. Leave it to the non-scientific crowd and tree huggers to set life back 200 years on this planet. 50 yers ago it would have been hard to believe that we wouldnt have adequate energy in 2008!!! After all nuclear power could easily fill the gap.

"But critics say (pdf) these plants are energy hogs that have a hugely detrimental impact on coastal marine life." Then don't let them drink the water produced by the desal plant. These critics value fish over people. Instead of protesting the plants they should be working to make them less detrimental to marine life. Stop being environuts, whackos, and do something constructive.

do some research into the effects.

there are ways to mitigate them.

Guys,

We need to remember that any desal plant will increase the salinity of the source water - presumably an ocean.

Another tragedy for the fish and our food?

Another finite source.

Sleepy

Sleepy -

The ocean is not still. Currents take the somewhat saltier water discharged and disperse it unnoticeably in the salt waters of the ocean. True, there must be some care taken to avoid concentrations that are harmful, such as multiple outlets at greater depths and premixing the discharge with ocean water to dilute the salinity.

I would rather lose a few fish than have a city full of people die of thirst. Which is the greater tragedy?

There is an abundance of fresh water, as in Iowa, but it doesn't help those places that don't get enough rain. Then too soon it all goes into the sea and dilutes the salt water.

Stop thinking emotionally, in terms of tragedy, and think logically in terms of how best to solve the problem. Your reaction sounds like one who would ban desal plants because the marine life might possibly be harmed and let people die of thirst, or have the attitude of "Well, they shouldn't live where there isn't enough water!"

They are supposed to be building one of these desal plants right here in my back yard, I think about it and wonder how it is that they (the builders, engineers and operators) plan on taking out the all of the toxic crap that pollutes our oceans out for our consumption. Add more chemicals? Hmmmmmm, no thanks. It is bad enough that waste water treatment centers (Sh!# plants) are "capable" of making drinking water... Again, no thanks.