Desalination: a national perspective

"Recent technological advances have made removing salt from seawater and groundwater a realistic option for increasing water supplies in some parts of the U.S., and desalination will likely have a niche in the nation’s future water management portfolio. However, the potential of desalination is constrained by financial, social, and environmental factors. Substantial uncertainties remain about its environmental impacts, which have led to costly permitting delays. A coordinated, strategic research effort with steady funding is needed to better understand and minimize desalination’s environmental impacts—and to find ways to further lower its costs and energy use"