California
Related: About this forumSolar Seawater Distiller Turns Salt Water into Drinking Water Using Only Sunlight
http://theantimedia.org/solar-seawater-distiller-turns-salt-water-into-drinking-water-using-only-sunlight/Italian designer Gabriele Diamanti (@GabDiamanti) has invented Eliodomestico, an eco-distiller running on solar power, to provide safe drinking-water for people in developing countries: a very simple way to produce healthy, bacteria-free water. Eliodomestico is an open source project.
This ingenious distiller was the winner at Core77 Design Award 2012 social impact category and finalist at the Prix Émile Hermès 2011 competition. For more info and to donate to this project, click here.
Watch the video posted below to see how it works.
The question is, can it be scaled up?
valerief
(53,235 posts)stillwaiting
(3,795 posts)calimary
(81,593 posts)It wouldn't be the first stupid, short-sighted, nonsensical thing they've ever done.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)Cruise ships convert salt water into fresh water for their use. I don't think they would do it if it was horribly expensive. Although I don't know how they do it, it seems that wave and hydro power would be a good energy source they could use to run their desalinization equipment.
Agnosticsherbet
(11,619 posts)We have technologies that will do this.
This development appears to be aimed at the millions who live near the sea and have not ready source of fresh water.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)Our traditional source of fresh water was the Sierra snow pack melting through the dry months and feeding our rivers and streams. We also relied on our winter rainy season that filled our ground water. Both these resources have been sparse in the past five years and we are at a crisis right now. Our only other water source is the ocean. Until our world law makers do something substantial to reverse climate change, this could be an interim fix.
Turbineguy
(37,412 posts)on ships they use engine cooling water for the heat source. Seawater needs to be heated to 170 deg F. It is then distilled under a vacuum.
BrotherIvan
(9,126 posts)Just sayin
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)another 5 percent to industrial uses.
The rest goes to Big Ag.
edit: I've floated (so to speak ) this idea before. The state could raise the rates it charges the growers. That incentivizes them to conserve and raises still-badly needed revenue for the state.
BrotherIvan
(9,126 posts)And yes I live in CA. I see green lawns and shiny cars. Do I think that industrial water waste is a huge problem? Yes! Do I see water streaming down the sidewalk from over-watered lawns? Every day. And do I think those lawns should be converted into vegetable gardens to feed families? You bet!
Desert805
(392 posts)Personal use is 5%. Sure, we can crack down on it and get it to 4.25%, but so what?
Big Ag. is using 90% of California's water. 90%!
Growing almonds in the desert... herp and derp!
SCVDem
(5,103 posts)For all we save, it only takes one mains break to waste it all.
Where the hell are the infrastructure improvements to prevent this?
Where is the Keystone water pipeline from the Midwest to Lake Mead?
Screw y'all! If we go dry you go hungry!
It's that bad!
BrotherIvan
(9,126 posts)BlueCaliDem
(15,438 posts)San Franciscans, on the other hand, consumed a scant 45.7 gallons of water per techie daily, the lowest rate in the state, according to the data.
That means although the Rancho Santa Fe area water district only has 2.3 percent of the population of San Francisco, its customers use the equivalent of 22 percent of the water delivered to the Bay Area metropolis.
Los Angeles residents consumed 92.8 gallons per person a day, for those of you keeping score in the perpetual L.A.San Francisco rivalry.
http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/11/04/meet-californias-biggest-water-hogs
Raising water rates will only hurt the working poor and middle class - and fill water companies' coffers. It WILL DO NOTHING to conserve water because the very wealthy in California can afford to pay any and all rates imposed. The new order by Gov. Brown unfairly targets working Californians in the pocketbook rather than reduce water usage with the wealthy who are the problem.
BrotherIvan
(9,126 posts)We don't have water employees going around to see who has green lawns, and I assume a lot of this watering does have to do with that. I liked the ideas of incentives for switching lawns to draught-resistant plants or table gardens if one is so inclined. That has been a major impediment for some time as cities and housing associations punished those who didn't have green lawns. I see it much more in SoCal than NorCal. And updating one's appliances to be more water efficient with rebates is also a great idea.
I don't know what the deal is with San Diego. Pockets of Republicans and I would assume old money. It really is too bad as it is such a beautiful area.
Warpy
(111,437 posts)sounds every bit as cost effective as large, centralized desalinization plants.
The crisis in California has been over a decade in the making. It will take a decade or more of above average rainfall to reverse it.
Cities should have been looking at this stuff five years ago.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)How do you get the H2O over to the Central Valley? Saltwater pipeline?
Warpy
(111,437 posts)that would provide water to distill for drinking and cooking and sea water for things like flushing toilets.
jeff47
(26,549 posts)KamaAina
(78,249 posts)stacked up, perhaps.
SoLeftIAmRight
(4,883 posts)illegal in Colorado.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)into fresh.
But yeah, I hear you.