The plants provide much-needed fresh water, but the environmental costs are immense.

Tik Root reports on a new study in the journal Science of the Total Environment about the outputs of desalination plants:
The literature had long assumed a one-to-one ratio. But [Manzoor] Qadir’s study found that the average desalination plant actually produced 1.5 times more brine than desalinated water—fifty percent more than previously thought. That translates to 51.8 billion cubic meters of brine each year, which Qadir says is enough to cover all of Florida, a foot deep.
Root notes that 16,000 plants are currently in operation or under construction around the world. The facilities are costly to operate, require large amounts of energy, and produce significant emissions. But the brine especially concerns scientists because of the effects of the salinity and temperature of the water and because copper and chlorine used during desalination ends up in the discharge.
Some observers believe that the brine is not a huge problem because it can be disposed of safely, but others say the problem runs deeper. "[John] Burt adds that while regulation can help mitigate these risks, enforcement varies widely from place to place. And, in the Arabian Gulf, where nearly half of the world’s desalination occurs, he says oversight tends to be relatively weak," writes Root.
FULL STORY: Desalination plants produce more waste brine than thought

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

HSR Reaches Key Settlement in Northern California City
The state’s high-speed rail authority reached an agreement with Millbrae, a key city on the train’s proposed route to San Francisco.

Washington State Legislature Passes Parking Reform Bill
A bill that would limit parking requirements for new developments is headed to the governor’s desk.

Missouri Law Would Ban Protections for Housing Voucher Users
A state law seeks to overturn source-of-income discrimination bans passed by several Missouri cities.
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