FROM OCEAN TO TABLE : and calcium added to it while the brine is sent back out to sea .
Ultimately , any method can be effective , and each will work ; however the most beneficial of all desalination methods are those capable of removing salt from water in the most energy efficient manner .
EFFECTS OF DESALINATION Although the necessity to provide the state with fresh water is nonnegotiable , desalination is not without its risks , leaving many to contend that seawater desalination should be the outright last resort .
1 . COST : These plants are very expensive to build and maintain One of the biggest factors holding water treatment companies and governments back from full utilization of desalination is cost . The decommissioned plant in Santa Barbara County is going back online in the next year for an estimated USD $ 55 million and will cost up to USD $ 4 million each year to maintain . Taxes and water bills are certain to increase , but so too will availability of fresh water .
2 . ENERGY USE : They require a great deal of energy to function , which depletes natural fossil reserves Many environmental advocates warn that this process carries not only a financial cost but also an ecological one as well , and should be a last resort in providing the state with fresh water . The amount of energy required to run a desalination plant varies by type of tech used however in California , the largest concern is for increased use of fossil fuels , the state ’ s main source of energy .
3 . ECOLOGICAL IMPACT : The process changes the ecosystem in virtually any marine environment surrounding the plants Removing salt water – or altering its concentration – has the potential to impact the ocean ’ s biodiversity . These plants require the use of very large , powerful and coastally-located pipes with vacuums that kill plankton , fish and microbial organizations , a key source of marine food . In addition , the salty overflow from these plants could devastate ecosystems at a rapid pace .
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