Desalination

water · technology · ocean · chemistry

Removing salt. Desalination takes salty seawater and removes the salt and minerals, leaving behind clean fresh water that people can drink or use to water crops.

Making fresh water. In places where fresh water is hard to find, desalination helps communities get the water they need by using the ocean nearby.

Creating brine. When salt gets removed from seawater, it leaves behind a super salty leftover liquid called brine as a byproduct of the process.

Many methods exist. Scientists have invented different ways to desalinate water, like using heat to evaporate saltwater or using special filters to separate salt from water.

Global solution. As freshwater becomes harder to find in some parts of the world, desalination is becoming an important way to make sure people have enough water to drink.