The scarcity of safe drinking water and the need for

Chapter 11, Problem 11.3D

(choose chapter or problem)

The scarcity of safe drinking water and the need for additional water supplies are critical in many arid regions of the globe where frequently there are no significant water resources in the form of rivers or lakes and the underground aquifers are rapidly becoming depleted with use. For some arid regions, seawater desalination has provided a solution but not without controversy. Potential customers increasingly demand plentiful potable water at modest cost with minimal environmental impact. Some say desalination using solar-activated distillation working together with wind power as needed may be a way to meet such requirements. Investigate the feasibility of that approach with goals that include minimizing environmental damage related to seawater intake and return of effluent to the sea, avoiding other significant environmental impacts, and producing potable water whose cost, in U.S. cents per cubic meter, is competitive with that of conventional desalination plants exhibiting best environmental practices. Write a report with at least three references.