Overview

There are currently over one billion people in the world that lack access to adequate drinking water. As the world population continues to increase, the water shortages are only being exacerbated. Since water production requires substantial amounts of energy, the water crisis is also closely coupled with the growing energy problem. The developed world has many excellent forms of desalination technologies, including reverse osmosis (RO) and multistage flash (MSF). Unfortunately, these technologies are often ineffective in the developing parts of the world where water shortages tend to be most severe. Solving the water problems requires not only technological innovation, but also changes in policy and public perception of water issues. Join members of the MIT Energy Club for a discussion of important issues in desalination as well as traditional desalination techniques and new techniques being developed here at MIT for use in the developing world. 

Please prepare for the discussion by reading the short articles provided on our website.  

A light dinner will be served.  

Key Questions

• Is it possible to modify existing technologies for use in developing areas?  What are the technological barriers and power needs?  
• How does policy affect the situation?  In developing countries , does public perception of desalinated water pose a barrier?  Is corporate ownership a help or a hindrance in providing adequate clean water to people in both the developed and the developing world?  
• When is desalination appropriate?  When are alternatives like rain water collection and purification/filtration preferable?  

Preparatory Readings

Desalination Freshens Up, Science (2006)

Treating Sewage for Drinking Water, Chemical & Engineering News (28 Jan 2008)

Chilean Town Withers in Free Market for Water, New York Times (15 Mar 2009)

Energy Discussions: Desalination--Water and Energy

06:00-07:00PM Thursday, March 04, 2010
Leader: Karan Mistry
Location: 26-204