Is Desalination The Future? The Effects of Calcium and Magnesium, or Lack Therof, On Desalinated Water Using Israel as a Case Study

There are currently five desalination plants in Israel supplying 50% of drinking water. Therefore, there is proven proof of concept for implementation. By adjusting chemical levels, suppliers are able to optimize human health and protect water transportation infrastructure, such as pipes and plumbing, from over-corrosive chemicals that are more frequent in groundwater relative to desalinated water. High levels of lead and copper, corrosive chemicals that can break down infrastructure over time and cause health hazards, were found more commonly in groundwater samples than in mixed desalinated and groundwater samples. Reflecting back on the research by Cotruvo (2006), water mixtures (e.g., source & seawater) can actually be beneficial in chemical balance and cost-effective as well. Large suppliers of desalinated water in Israel follow set standards that include: a pH level of 7.5-8.3, dissolved calcium 80-120 mg/L, and alkalinity above 80 mg/L. It has been determined that in Israel’s desalinated water supply, chemical levels of calcium are beneficial to health over time, and compared to other countries water quality was higher and possessed less lead overall (Barnett-Itzhaki et al., 2019)