Show l DABSON'S t AUTHENTIC A REPORT i i nen I w tr W. ns Purification of salt and brack breck- brackIsh brackish ish water waler has been much In the news in recent years but few people appear to realize that this is one of the most Important projects pros acts now under way in this country country coun coun- try It is not for the sake of science like sending a aman aman aman man to 10 the moon but a true atrue necessity necessity necessity for the future of at our coun coun- try WATER NEEDS OUTGROWING RESOURCES Lets Let's take lake a look at our water waler needs Every establishment of at any sort requires water waler usually for tor a variety of at purposes and of often often otten ot- ot ten in substantial amounts At Atthe Atthe Atthe the beginning of ot this century the United States consumed 0 only n I y about 40 billion gallons a day for tor all purposes TODAY TODA Y THE daily dally water waler re requirement requirement requirement re- re stands At at t about billion gallons and the growing population industrial and agricultural agricultural agricultural agri agri- cultural totals give some Idea of ot othow how quickly utilization will Increase in increase increase In- In crease in coming years By the year 2000 and that Is only 35 short years ahead it is estimated that water needs will have reached an astronomical billion gallons a day This proJection projection projection pro pro- Is all the more startling when it is realized that conventional conventional conventional conven conven- fresh tresh w water a te r sou sources r ces throughout the nation are capable of supplying only billion gallons gallons gallons gal gal- lons daily dally BASED ON these figures prospects prospects pros pros- are that in 35 years we will need billion gallons a day more than our conventional sources will be able to provide To put it another way by the year 2000 our shortage of at natu natural ra 1 fresh tresh water will be greater than today's total usage This poses a mammoth problem for tor our nation DESALTING ESSENTIAL It is clear that our natural supplies supplies supplies sup sup- plies must be augmented as swiftly swiftly swiftly swift swift- ly as possible or the situation will be dire Scientists have for tor fora a along along long time been beep working on desaltIng desalting desalting desalt desalt- ing ocean and brackish water In 1952 Congress set up the Office of Saline Water for tor the purpose of ot coordinating and extending re research research research re- re search In that field Rec Recently President Johnson recommended doubling the appropriation for tor this office and called for a real breakthrough in the cost of de desalting desalting desalting de- de salting sea water to make It economically economically economically eco eco- feasible MUCH PROGRESS has been made In terms of desalting ex expense expense expense ex- ex pense In fact tact In 1952 it cost 4 5 4 5 per thousand gallons and today It costs only about 1 The point Is however that desalted water at al 1 is still far tar from tram competing competing competing com com- with the 30 or 40 paid by most communities for tor the currently currently currently cur cur- available fresh tresh water But there are indications that distillation expenditures can eventually be greatly reduced by combining a desalting operation with a nuclear power plant turnIng turning turning turn turn- ing out steam for tor turbines simul simul- Some atomic laboratory laboratory laboratory labora labora- tory scientists believe that such sucha a plant could put out fresh tresh water for tor 26 per thousand gallons and that within perhaps 15 years the tab for tor water fresh production could be reduced to 15 DESALTING UNITS ALREADY IN USE There are actually many de desalting desalting desalting de- de salting units being used not only in this country but in overseas areas that are badly in need of water But most of these units are relatively restricted In output and may be considered transition transi transition tion lion distillers and sterilizers to meet temporary needs Later on it is expected that scale large-scale nuclear plants will be constructed construct construct- ed turning out enough fresh tresh water water wa- wa wa- wa water ter at sufficiently reas reasonable a nab Ie prices to permit use even for tor ag ag- ag ONLY OBSTACLE to ic revolution in the worlds world's conversion conversion conversion con con- version of ot bad water Into good is the expense of at processing And today it looks as if it our scientific leadership may be on the threshold threshold threshold thresh thresh- old of ot a significant breakthrough Nith our grain barns filled tilled to overflowing by produce In loan loan- such an advance may seem like carrying coals to Newcastle But But s scientISts t lf s th tha noth many years will pass even the US U.S. will be rel reI for tor sustenance The day then may not be far tar off ott when we willbe willbe will willbe be forced to make the desert bloom In order to keep our mounting mounting mount mount- ing population from tram st starvation atlon |