From UCLA
With California in the midst of a punishing, years-long drought, water -- and the need and demand for clean, plentiful supplies of it -- has gushed to the fore as a major issue of concern, and not just in distant, developing nations. That's why researchers in Westwood express enthusiasm for their work on small, mobile and computerized desalination units, which they've recently successfully tested on agricultural drainage water in the San Joaquin Valley. The units, which easily can be transported in a van, can produce 6,000 gallons daily from ocean supplies or 8,000-9,000 gallons from brackish groundwater, researchers say. That's enough to provide daily water to an estimated 6,000 to 12,000 people. The units can be controlled remotely by computer. Researchers hope their swift, easy use will spur further development of water supply alternatives rather than the current reliance on construction of bigger, more costly pilot plants.
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