The UK now has its first desalination plant at London. Using a world's-first four-step reverse osmosis process (most plants use just two steps), the plant will be able to produce enough fresh water from the Thames to support up to one million Londoners with an 85% efficiency rate. The need for this was felt as existing resources - from non-tidal rivers and groundwater - simply aren't enough to match predicted demand in London.
The desal plant was originally opposed by London's previous Mayor, Ken Livingstone, who pointed out the primary problem with all desalination plants - it'd be too energy hungry and the benefits of more drinking water would be negated by the problems associated with more carbon dioxide from powering it. But after the operators agreed the plant would be run entirely from renewable energy sources, the construction moved forward. Though, the "renewable energy" is coming mainly from sustainably produced biofuel, another contested source given that its lifecycle is not carbon neutral.
Should more cities opt for this solution to water scarcity? Or go for better rainwater harvesting measures while curbing waste?
As with energy or food, water too brings out the obvious choice – rather than learn to manage our sources better, we are keen to add more sources. Is that a wise choice, or simply a way of stealing from tomorrow to satisfy our today’s runaway appetite?
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