An interesting discussion of the economics behind desalination plants in Southern California follows. By Gig Conaughton, staff writer Southern California's major water wholesaler is considering offering incentives to others to turn sea water into drinking water. Members of the Metropolitan Water District's board of directors on Tuesday will consider a plan that would set up a system of incentives, such as cash-backing, to private companies or other water agencies that develop desalination plans. Extracting salt from ocean water is still too expensive, Ortega said.
Desalination is a scientifically simple process.
It can be done in two ways. Salt water can be boiled and the salt-free steam collected and distilled back into water. Or salt can be extracted from water by forcing it through a membrane, thin enough to allow the water molecules through, but dense enough to keep out the salt molecules. The latter is the method most often used. However, it requires large amounts of power.