Ocean Water Desalination Plants

By Sasha Coester

Remember that Harvard University Press study from late 2022 stating that ocean coral has seen great improvement and regeneration over the last five years due to human activity? No? That is because it does not exist. Ocean acidification, driven by basic human activities such as burning fossil fuels for vehicle gas, powering the electricity grid, and perpetuating cycles of overconsumption for commodities like clothes, is destroying our oceans—and affecting the entire planet.

Ocean acidification has drained the life out of the world’s coral reef areas, 54% of which experienced bleaching in the past year [4]. This acidification, caused by a reduction in water pH from increased atmospheric carbon dioxide intake, is particularly damaging to the already dwindling coral reefs. It breaks down the calcium structures within coral organisms, crucial for maintaining their structural integrity [3]. Elevated carbon dioxide levels are also significantly warming ocean regions. Bleached coral is a direct result of temperature increases, as these changes force coral reefs to expel the algae essential for photosynthesis, growth, and reproduction.

Ocean acidification and rising ocean temperatures both spell disaster, but human activity adds yet another layer of harm—through toxic brine discharge from desalination plants. Toxic brine is a harmful byproduct from desalination processes [1]. As the World Economic Forum notes, water desalination plants dispose of brine by dumping it into natural bodies of water, which then harms sea life as brine lowers the amount of oxygen in the water [2]. This highly concentrated salt compound is discharged directly into surrounding environments, particularly affecting coastal habitats.

Policy must be enacted to regulate ocean water desalination plants that operate as private entities with minimal government oversight. Facilities intended to ensure clean, drinkable water for people should not continue unchecked when they contribute to harmful ocean conditions. These irresponsible practices will ultimately impact us as well, creating deoxygenated “dead zones” that kill marine life. This policy will require desalination plants to adopt sustainable waste management practices, eliminating the release of brine into open waters. Additionally, it provides for further funding to research more sustainable solutions than those currently in place.

Works Cited