Desalination technologies for developing countries: what solutions?

Desalination is a water treatment option known by people at large for its large scale use in rich countries such as in the Middle East. Nevertheless, this is not an option for some developing countries such as Kenya, as, due to the water scarcity existing in such places, saline water is the only source for drinking purposes. Numerous technologies exist for desalinating water, from the very simple process of solar desalination already in use in the antiquity, to the most complicated membrane or electronic technologies. Appropriate solutions adapted to development or emergency situations have to be taken depending on the context in place in developing countries. Through discussions with private companies and research laboratories, some of the most up to date systems currently usable have been reviewed in order to assess their suitability for an implementation by the charity Oxfam GB in a near future in several locations in West African and South Asian countries. Criteria have been defined according to the needs observed by the charity in targeted places, better targeting possible appropriate technologies. The study focused on technological details as well as long term management issues for optimising ownership of the local communities. After comparison of the reviewed technologies and confrontation with the defined criteria, it resulted that interesting options available for development are membrane-based or distillation. The use of clean energy sources such as brute strength (mechanical systems using animal or human strength) simplify operation and maintenance, and lower operation cost at the same time for a sustainable implementation in remote villages. Automated electronic-based systems are also an opportunity for emergency situations. However, most of those solutions have not been in use in a developing country yet. Consequently, innovative experimentation is needed for the good of all.