authorized $10 million for construction of several 
demonstration plants. Each plant was to utilize a 
different promising desalting process. By recent 
legislation these plants are now designated as test 
beds for experimental operations. 
During 1952 to 1967, public funds totaling 
approximately $88 million were invested in efforts 
to develop desalting processes and to lower 
costs.°* 
2. Current Status 
The present value of desalinated water from 
world-wide sea water plants is about $50 million a 
year, accounting for about 15 per cent of the 
world’s total production of chemicals from sea 
water. By contrast, the value of desalinated water 
produced in the United States is about $8 million, 
representing only six per cent of the total chem- 
icals produced from sea water. 
Figure 59 indicates there are over 150 land- 
based desalination plants throughout the world 
using sea water. Actually there are more than 600 
plants, but as in the United States, most are for 
powerhouse boiler water production and operate 
on brackish or slightly saline water. 
331 etter to the panel from W.F. Savage, Assistant 
Director, Engineering and Development, OSW, Dec. 20, 
1967. 
Figure 59 shows three separate groups: (1) 
world total, (2) world total built by the United 
States, and (3) total located in the United States, 
including U.S. possessions and military bases. 
While there are only 28 sea water feed plants 
located in the United States, there are almost 100 
U.S.-built plants around the world, indicating that 
U.S. investments are located mostly abroad. In 
fact, more than 5O per cent of all sea water 
desalination plants throughout the world were 
built by the United States. Figure 60 shows the 
geographical distribution of desalting plants and 
plant capacities as of Jan. 1, 1968. 
Government activities have been focused on the 
operation of demonstration plants and special 
processes as the key to economic desalting. Four 
plants in the continental United States have 
capacities of at least one million gallons per day 
(mgd); three are OSW demonstration plants. The 
largest, with a capacity of 2.6 mgd, became 
operational in 1967 in Key West, Florida. 
Overall, Government has recognized the follow- 
ing examples of how desalting facilities can help 
meet water needs in the United States and the 
world: 
—To supplement an inadequate existing water 
supply by furnishing water as in the arid zones and 
supplementing existing sources to meet the de- 
Figure 59 
PRODUCTION CAPABILITY OF DESALINATED WATER, 1966 
Number of xn Capacity 
Plants? icomaicon (Million GPD) 
Value ($Million) 
All Feed Water Sources” 
World Total 669° = 158.6 
Built by U.S. . 376° = 74.8 
Located in U.S." . 289 — 40.9 
Sea Water as Feed Source 
World Total 153 51 94.1 
Built by U.S. 87 24 45.2 
Located in U.S.* . 28 8 15.1 
l All greater than 25,000 GPD. 
2 This includes plants which operate on brackish or slightly saline water. 
Approximate capital investment: $200 million, and $115 million respectively. 
4 Aas a 
Includes U.S. Territories and military bases. 
Source: Unpublished information compiled by W.F. Mclihenny, based on Appendix E of the 1966 OSW Saline 
Conversion Report. 
VI-199 
