Desalination bad option for water shortage, says WWF

By Alex Villafania INQUIRER.net DESALINATION, or the process of converting seawater into potable water, may not be the best solution in areas with little drinkable water and may perhaps contribute to climate change, according to a review of desalination plants by the World Wildlife Fund. The WWF report "Making Water: Desalination -- Option or Distraction for a Thirsty World?" revealed that desalination of seawater is an expensive, energy-intensive activity that also contributes to the production of greenhouse gases that trap solar heat in the atmosphere. Impacts of desalination include brine build-up, increased greenhouse gas emissions, destruction of prized coastal areas and reduced emphasis on conservation of rivers and wetlands. Many of the areas of most intensive desalination activity also have a history of damaging natural water resources, particularly groundwater. WWF director for Global Freshwater Programme Jamie Pittok identified countries in the Middle East, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, India, China and Australia that are starting to implement desalination projects to convert seawater into drinkable water. He noted that these are countries that have huge water problems due to their dry seasons or their huge populations. Pittok estimated that 60 per cent of freshwater needs in the Arabian Gulf are met through desalination. Australia, particularly the city of Perth, could be to source one-third of its freshwater through desalination. Likewise, Spain is putting a large proportion, or 22 percent, of its desalinated water to agriculture and holiday resorts in arid areas. Pittok said managing water demand and assessing impacts of any large-scale engineering solution are needed early on to avert potentially irreversible damage to nature, as well as long-term cost overruns that are always paid by citizens. The WWF has been promoting the protection of natural assets such as rivers, floodplains, and wetlands to ensure production of potable water. These natural systems purify and provide water as well as protect against extreme or catastrophic events. “Large desalination plants might rapidly become 'the new dams' and obscure the importance of real conservation of rivers and wetlands. As with any relatively new engineering such as large dams that grew up in the 50s, the negatives become known when it is too late or too expensive to fix. "What we need most is a new attitude to water not unchecked expansion of water engineering," Pittok said.