| Abstract: | This two-part article gives an overview of the use of non-conventional water resources in developing countries. The first part presented below reviews United Nations involvement with the subject and its relationship to the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade. The main emphasis of the first part is on the development of technology and markets for the various desalination processes — distillation, electrodialysis and reverse osmosis. The general costs of the various processes are compared.
The second part of the article (to be published in the April 1985 issue) concentrates on the other non-conventional water resources: transport of water by tanker and iceberg, waste water re-use and weather modification. For all the processes, examples are given and economic comparisons are made. It is concluded that it is always preferable to use conventional resources where available. However, in water-short areas, consideration might be given to the available non-conventional resources, and economic and technical comparisons made, before a final choice is reached. |
