History

• According to the Pacific Institute, a nonprofit research center which aims to protect and conserve the natural world, "The idea of separating salt from water is an ancient one, dating from the time when salt, not water, was a precious commodity." As the population grew, so did the demand for fresh water. In 1970, a request was sent to United States Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson asking for a method of converting salt water to freshwater.
  
  

Potential Benefits

• The California Water Plan, updated in 2009, states, "Desalination can be a credible water supply alternative and a part of the solution for meeting current and future water needs." Other benefits of desalination include increased water supply during droughts and an improved quality of freshwater. Tapping into the world's oceans can supply a significant amount of water without the risk of quick depletion of a natural resource.
  
  

Potential Risks

• Affordability risks may outweigh the benefits of desalination. Another risk is that intake systems could trap fish and other aquatic animals, making it hard for them to escape the force of suction. The energy impact that desalination will have on the environment is the biggest concerns. The California Water Plan states, "Energy efficiency will therefore be a key factor, if desalination is to be pursued in earnest as a water supply option in California."
  
  

Where Does Desalination Stand?

• "Half of the world's desalination capacity is in the Middle East/Persian Gulf/North Africa regions," states the Pacific Institute. Several kinks in cost and environmental impact still need to be ironed out before desalination is even considered as a sure fire way of supplying freshwater all around the world. California, as well as several portions of the United States, currently uses a minor amount of desalination processing in order to provide freshwater.
  
  

Legal Issues

• "In California, coastal resources, including ocean waters, are part of the public commons and are protected under the public trust doctrine," states the Pacific Institute, "Some individuals feel that privatized desalination violates the public trust doctrine by turning a public good into a private commodity subject to market rules." This has been a main cause for a number of objections coming from California residents who are concerned about the legalities and breech of trust.