Dithering over desalination threat to Western US

Indecision over desalination and water reuse projects will hit western US water supplies in the short term an analyst with market researcher Frost and Sullivan has warned.

Energy and environment research analyst Ankur Jajoo’s warning came in his comments on recent findings by the University of San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the US Geological Survey that drought has denied western US more than 300 trillion litres of water.

“There is strong growth potential for seawater desalination plants which are in the works, but the general consensus is to wait on the economic return on investment and feasibility before proceeding with further projects. This indecision will mean bigger ramifications in the short term rather than long term,” Jajoo said.

“Now is not the time for pointing fingers and playing the blame game. The onus is on the public, private investors, and regulatory bodies to continue and approve capital expenditure for means of reuse and recycle,’ he said.