Another five segments have elevated levels of chlorides, sulfates, and total dissolved solids. Conservation and an increasingly concerned public have made great strides toward using less water, particularly in the home. In the meantime, state water planners are identifying other methods of producing more water for its citizens. Desalination Desalination, the process of removing salts, minerals, chemical compounds, and even microscopic bacteria and viruses from water, is a promising way to produce more usable water for Texans. Both methods require relatively high levels of energy to pump water in and out of facilities.
Distillation also requires boilers, another energy cost.
The process of reverse osmosis, then, turns that natural force against itself so that the water repels salts instead of attracting them. The RO process is relatively straightforward. The result is water well-suited for agricultural and industrial uses and often for drinking water. Electrical energy is by far the single greatest cost involved in desalination. Some estimates are in the 55-65 cents per thousand gallon range, not counting waste disposal costs, which in turn can double or triple that number.