19 Jun 2007 - Gland, Switzerland
– Making drinking water out of sea water
is a growing trend but a potential threat
to the environment that could also exacerbate
climate change, says WWF in a global review
of desalination plants worldwide.
The WWF review, Making water: Desalination
– option or distraction for a thirsty world?,
shows that some of the driest and thirstiest
places are turning to desalination. These
include regions where water problems affect
large, populous areas — Australia, the Middle
East, Spain, the UK and US, with India and
China following suit.
“Desalinating the sea is an expensive,
energy-intensive and greenhouse gas emitting
way to get water,” says Jamie Pittock, Director
of WWF’s Global Freshwater Programme.
“It may have a place in the world's future
freshwater supplies but regions still have
cheaper, better and complementary ways to
supply water that are less risky to the
environment.”
It is estimated that around 60 per cent
of freshwater needs in the Arabian Gulf
are met through desalination, and the Australian
city of Perth may be looking to source one-third
of its freshwater the same way. Spain is
devoting an astonishing proportion of its
desalinated water to agriculture — at 22
per cent the highest level in the world
– as well as to holiday resorts in arid
areas.
Impacts of desalination include brine build-up,
increased greenhouse gas emissions, destruction
of prized coastal areas and reduced emphasis
on conservation of rivers and wetlands.
Many of the areas of most intensive desalination
activity also have a history of damaging
natural water resources, particularly groundwater.
Managing water demand and assessing impacts
of any large-scale engineering solution
are needed early in order to avert irreversible
damage to nature and the cost overruns,
often paid by citizens over the long haul.
Sustainable sources of water start with
protecting natural assets such as rivers,
floodplains and wetlands. These natural
systems purify and provide water as well
as protect against extreme or catastrophic
events.
“Large desalination plants might rapidly
become ‘the new dams’ and obscure the importance
of real conservation of rivers and wetlands,”
adds Pittock.
“As with any relatively new engineering
such as large dams that grew up in the 50s,
the negatives become known when it is too
late or too expensive to fix. What we need
most is a new attitude to water not unchecked
expansion of water engineering.”
Lisa Hadeed, Communications Manager
WWF Global Freshwater Programme
Brian Thomson, Press Officer
WWF International
