well, it's much cheaper to treat fresh inland water than desalinate seawater

The uk gets a lot of rain (especially in Scotland, Wales, and northern England) which normally meet the reuirement of the population.

Rivers, lakes, and underground aquifers supply most of the UK’s water needs.

desalination is very energy-intensive and expensive to build and operate and a bit of a luxury if not required all of the time as there would be no return on operating costs for routine mainenance/tickover costs for staff and other bollocks.

the cost per cubic meter of de-salinated water is far higher than traditional water sources.

the uk's high energy prices also make it less attractive compared to cheaper alternatives.

desalination produces brine, a salty waste product that can harm marine ecosystems if not properly managed. so, more on-costs.

high energy usage leads to higher carbon emissions, unless renewable energy is used.

In the uk, only some areas (like southeast england) experience periodic water stress.

thames Water opened the beckton desalination plant in east london in 2010 — designed to supply up to 1 million people in a drought. so we do have some limited capacity.

the uk has focused more on reducing water waste, improving infrastructure, and encouraging conservation (e.g., metering).

leakage from old pipes is the bigger issue in some areas than water availability. rather than build costly desalination plants, the focus ought to be on making good/improving existing infrastructure thereby reducing highly costly leaks and for water companies to stop pumping s**t into our seas and inland waterways.

*feargal sharkey face*

Posted By: Tombs, Jul 15, 19:27:13