Securing Our Water Future: NREL’s Research in Desalination of Nontraditional Water Sources

Today’s water supply is built on a 20th century model of freshwater sources, centralized treatment, and wastewater discharge. But that model—especially in remote coastal communities or in disaster relief scenarios—is quickly becoming unsustainable. That’s why researchers are looking to nontraditional water sources and new desalination technologies to provide our nation’s industries and communities with a resilient, cost-effective water supply for the 21st century.

 Nontraditional water sources are abundant across the United States, from the coasts to landlocked states where wastewater is produced in vast amounts from the power and manufacturing sectors. Desalinating water sources such as these requires a broad approach, one that NREL researchers are tackling from a variety of angles.