This acute drought in Catalonia has sparked strict supply restrictions for residents and prompted a heated debate over how water should be used. Scientists warned that the current consumption model cannot sustain long term needs and urged reformulating water strategies to reduce risk and build resilience.
Rising demand for water combined with shrinking supplies worsens food and water insecurity in many regions. Traditional methods that rely on rain, river runoff, or existing aquifers are no longer sufficient to meet growing human needs.
Unconventional sources, especially desalination, can help close the gap between supply and demand. Yet desalination creates a large volume of hypersaline brine that is dumped back into the sea. The process is costly and presents environmental disposal challenges that require careful management.
A 2019 study by researchers from Canada, the Netherlands, and South Korea documented global desalination activity, noting thousands of plants and significant daily production of drinking water. The report highlighted the Middle East and North Africa as the regions with the largest output at that time, while Spain accounted for a smaller share of the global capacity.
Writers have discussed strategies to reduce the negative environmental footprint and to cut the costs associated with brine disposal and treatment by improving saltwater management practices.
Serious impact on marine flora
Ecologists question the most common water purification model and warn against overreliance on desalination. They do not oppose desalination outright, recognizing its necessity in certain urgent situations, but urge that it be powered by renewable energy and used strategically to minimize consumption. They advocate for savings and more rational use of resources, a stance long championed by environmental groups.
Returning untreated brine to the sea with high salinity can seriously affect aquatic vegetation, especially key species that protect coastlines and sustain biodiversity. High energy requirements for desalination are another concern raised by researchers, who stress the need to weigh energy use against benefits.
In addition to ecological costs, constructing plants and building the necessary distribution networks adds to overall environmental impact. Energy intensity remains a central issue, with recent systems typically consuming several kilowatt-hours per cubic meter, though improvements have been made over the decades.
For example, some plants in Catalonia supply tens of cubic meters per year to local supply networks, while others deliver larger portions regionally. Experts have discussed future expansion plans that would raise total capacity, though at substantial financial and environmental expense.
High energy consumption
Beyond the price tag, desalinated water carries an environmental cost due to energy use and emissions. The infrastructure itself also demands maintenance and continuous investment to remain functional and safe. Comparisons show that large desalination operations can equate to powering hundreds of thousands of homes, underscoring the scale of energy use involved.
Overall, it is often assumed that typical households consume a modest amount of electricity annually, but the energy footprint of desalination remains a major concern for planners and environmental advocates alike.
Objections to purified water
Despite its benefits for specific, urgent needs, purified water does not solve every problem. The main obstacles are high treatment costs and environmental impacts. When not recycled, treated water returns to rivers, supporting current ecosystems but limiting opportunities for river restoration in some cases.
Researchers emphasize that recycling water can be an alternative in some contexts, though it must be managed carefully to preserve the natural balance of waterways and ecosystems. The goal is to minimize disruption while meeting essential needs.
Desalination and water recycling are useful in the short term to address droughts, but they are not sustainable on their own due to economic, energetic, and environmental costs. The path forward calls for reducing demand and rethinking the socioeconomic model that drives water use.
Nature is the solution
Nature-based approaches focus on maintaining natural cycles and prioritizing the health of water bodies and ecosystems over limitless demand. Experts outline eight practical steps to reduce consumption and restore balance.
1. Protect and restore natural water sources, rivers, and aquifers.
2. Dedicate resources to decontaminating aquifers.
3. Avoid filling stream or drainage gaps with cement.
4. Preserve natural river channels rather than redirecting flows.
5. Stop illegal water extraction that exceeds permitted use.
6. Curb widespread aquifer overuse.
7. Safeguard stream environments and riverbeds.
8. Reconsider new reservoir or lock projects that disrupt river systems and have high ecological costs.
Business perspective
Industry bodies note the absence of a single comprehensive regulatory framework in some regions regarding brine discharge and desalination plant emissions, while environmental impact assessments are increasingly applied to new projects with sizable daily volumes. These assessments aim to ensure environmental protections throughout construction and operation.
Desalination projects should include robust environmental monitoring to protect sensitive areas from elevated salinity and to safeguard key habitats such as coastal seagrass meadows. Proper discharge design and ongoing studies help demonstrate that risks are localized and minimal, with careful measures to protect marine life.
References include CREAF and other regional research bodies that stress comprehensive monitoring and responsible management as essential to any desalination strategy. The goal remains to balance water security with the preservation of marine ecosystems and energy resources.
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Desalination and water reuse are valuable tools for addressing drought in the short term, but a broader shift is needed to reduce total water use and align consumption with available natural resources. The focus is on smarter planning, resource conservation, and a more sustainable water future.
Nature offers the best long-term pathway: protect water bodies, restore ecosystems, and rethink how water is used across agriculture, cities, tourism, and industry. That holistic approach is seen as the most effective route to a resilient water system.
References and further reading are cited for context, with an emphasis on independent environmental research and regional water management expertise.