AWWA ACE92199

One of the fastest growing technologies throughout the world today is the desalination of water. This demineralized water may be sourced from wells, oceans, lakes, rivers or recycled from out industries, municipal treatment plants, farms and thousands of other areas. The essentially mineral-free water is used for various potable, industrial and commercial applications. In general, water to be desalinated has been classified into three categories; brackish (under 5000 mg/l), seawater (over 30,000 mg/l) and high brackish (5000 to 30,000 mg/l). This paper will discuss seawater desalination, though the comments are also basically valid for high brackish waters.