Evaluation of the potential use of desalination as a fresh water supply for remote communities in Australia

Availability of fresh water is the most essential component for the development of communities around the world. Within Australia, the uneven distribution of this resource severely restricts development opportunities in remote regions. This is the case for those living in the arid parts of Australia. In these arid areas where rainfall is scarce and the groundwater salinity exceeds the acceptable drinking water limits (Australian Groundwater Provinces 2005), desalination could be a viable alternative, providing a secure high-quality water supply. The global distribution of water scarcity is described in terms of the proportion of water being extracted to the amount of water available for human extraction. This paper will discuss different desalination processes - Reverse Osmosis, Multi Stage Flash and Multi Effect Evaporation - to determine which, if any, is the most feasible to implement in the remote areas of Australia. Environmental, economic and health implications will be considered, as they hold significant importance to the implementation of a viable and successful working desalination plant. The new technology of the Salinity-Gradient Solar Pond, which adds sustainability to the desalinating process, will also be discussed, as it provides a site for waste brine disposal and also a source of energy