Researcher(s):
Kyle Mezrahi Henry Chapman
ENVS course(s): 220 Initiated: November 2017 Completed: December 2017 Go to project site
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Water scarcity is a widespread and accelerating problem, however the implementation of new technologies and planning can supplement water supply and even be a solution to water scarcity issues in many cases. The Canary Islands have been using desalination plants as a solution to their water scarcity problem for nearly 50 years. The first desalination plant in Europe was installed in 1964 on Lanzarote to supplement the island’s lack of potable water. Desalination provides the majority of water supply on the Canary Islands and has since served as an example for desalination projects worldwide. However, desalination is energy intensive and can have negative effects on the local environment through brine seepage. Additionally, because desalination is energy intensive, it can be very costly, which in many cases hurts people who need it the most. The goal for this situated project is to understand the benefits and trade-offs of desalination as a supplement or replacement for water supply in the Canary Islands and to compare this to desalination processes in other places across the world.
Key Questions:
In what ways could planning and new technologies help and hurt new domestic water supply?
How do water-poor regions in (Southern) Spain and the Canary Islands benefit from desalination? What have been the impacts of desalination in the Canary Islands?