mands of rapidly growing major population cen- 
ters. 
—To improve the quality of an existing supply by 
upgrading water where a supply is adequate but of 
substandard quality (mixing desalinated water 
with the natural supply), supplementing water in 
inland or coastal areas where pumping ground 
water has resulted in brackish or sea-water intru- 
sion, and serving as one of several tools to convert 
polluted water into usable water. 
Mr. Frank Di Luzio, in this regard, has stated:?4 
It is anticipated that cost competitiveness with 
water from conventional sources will not always 
constitute the first limiting factor to the utiliza- 
tion of saline water resources. Eventually, every 
major water utility may incorporate a desalting 
unit in its treatment plant. A water-quality con- 
scious population is likely to insist on higher-than- 
minimum water-quality standards. 
34.Senate Hearings, May 1965, op. cit., p. 146. 
3. Future 
a. Near-Term Forecasts During the past 7 to 10 
years, the growth rate of commercial facilities has 
been approximately 30 per cent per year. At this 
rate it is estimated that the total commercial 
capability should be about one billion gallons per 
day by 1978. With this capacity, the sale of 
desalinated water would exceed $250 million per 
year (based on 75 cents per thousand gallons), 
approximately five times the 1966 value. Total 
investment in 1978 should approximate $1 billion 
(estimated at the rate of $1 per gallon per day). 
Figure 61 shows construction starts of desalting 
plants world-wide during 1967 by number and 
capacity. 
b. Role of Distillation Plants Future giant facili- 
ties obviously could alter greatly the figures given 
above. Although firm plans are difficult to pin 
down, a list of giant facilities being contemplated 
is shown in Figure 62. As presently foreseen they 
will be based on the distillation principle. 
To help delineate the role of future facilities 
OSW has been conducting studies on the potential 
usefulness and feasibility of desalting as a way of 
drought-proofing northern New Jersey and New 
Figure 60 
WORLDWIDE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF DESALTING PLANTS 
AND PLANT CAPACITY, IN OPERATION OR UNDER CONSTRUCTION 
AS OF JAN. 1, 1968 - 25,000 GPD CAPACITY OR GREATER 
Continent or Country 
1. United States . 
2. U.S. Territories BU er ec en ee 
3. North America except U.S. and its Territories 
4. Caribbean 
5. South America 
6. Europe (Continental) 
7. England and Ireland . 
8. Australia 
9. Asia . 
10. Middle East 
11. Africa ae ee Pe 
12. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics . 
Grand Total 
Number of Total Plant 
Plants Capacity (MGD) 
288 39.6 
15 7.5 
11 8.4 
24 16.9 
20 Shy) 
TH 26.3 
62 14.1 
7 1.9 
18 2:1 
63 50.1 
35 10.8 
7 40.9 
627 22253 
Source: Information supplied by OSW. 
VI-200 
