I Potential environmental impacts of seawater desalination

Seawater desalination represents an alternative solution to face the challenge of water scarcity in Chile. However, the uncertainty toward potential environmental impacts of desalination plants represent a barrier to achieving water sustainability and socioeconomic development in Chile. This study aimed to assess the quality of environmental monitoring plans (EMP) and determine the aspects to be improved within it, in order to enhance the management of desalination plants during the operation phase and guarantee a sustainable development of the activity. The Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Environmental Impact Studies for seawater desalination projects published in the Environmental Impact Evaluation System (SEIA) in Chile between 1997 and 2018 were reviewed. The results of the brine production from desalination plants showed a significant increase in the last decade (about 1.6 Mm3 per year estimated according to the projects approved or under implementation). The EMPs data show heterogeneity and increasing requirements over time, which can be attributed to the governmental effort to improve environmental protection. Furthermore, a high frequency of irrelevant descriptors was identified in the current EMPs. The study thus recommended standardizing the environmental requirements included in EMPs based on empiric scientific knowledge to enhance the environmental protection programs in Chile.

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Aspects of environmental impacts of seawater desalination: Cyprus as a case study

10.5004/dwt.2021.26916 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 211 ◽

pp. 15-30

Author(s):

D. Xevgenos ◽

M. Marcou ◽

V. Louca ◽

E. Avramidi ◽

G. Ioannou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Environmental Impacts ◽

Seawater Desalination

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Management preferences and attitudes regarding environmental impacts from seawater desalination: Insights from a small coastal community

Ocean & Coastal Management ◽

10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2018.05.024 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 163 ◽

pp. 22-29 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Nadine Heck ◽

Adina Paytan ◽

Donald C. Potts ◽

Brent Haddad ◽

Karen Lykkebo Petersen

Keyword(s):

Environmental Impacts ◽

Seawater Desalination ◽

Coastal Community ◽

Management Preferences

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Management preferences and attitudes regarding environmental impacts from seawater desalination: Insights from a small coastal community

10.31230/osf.io/k47da ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Nadine Heck ◽

Adina Paytan ◽

Donald Potts ◽

Brent Haddad ◽

Karen Lykkebo Petersen

Keyword(s):

Environmental Impacts ◽

Marine Ecosystem ◽

Critical Role ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Marine Ecosystems ◽

Seawater Desalination ◽

Coastal Community ◽

Management Measures ◽

Marine System ◽

User Groups

The use of seawater desalination as a water supply option is increasing worldwide. Compared to other marine sectors, studies on marine users' perceptions and attitudes towards this new sector and its impacts on marine ecosystems are very limited. This study assessed diﬀerences in coastal stakeholder groups' preferences for managing marine impacts of a seawater desalination plant in a small coastal community. The majority of respondents placed high importance on the marine ecosystem, including ecosystem features that are less visible and charismatic, and were highly concerned about potential impacts on marine ecosystems and marine activities from the new desalination facility. Coastal residents further rated multiple management measures to reduce and oﬀ-set marine impacts as highly important, but indicated a lack of trust in institutions involved in regulating and managing environmental impacts. Logistic regression revealed that lack of institutional trust and concerns about marine impacts were signiﬁcant predictors of opposition to the desalination facility and appeared to play a critical role in shaping local attitudes towards desalination. Findings further revealed that local opinions were primarily shaped by how respondents used the nearby marine system, and by gender. Age, education, and race did not seem to shape local opinions. At the same time, there were diﬀerences between consumptive and nonconsumptive marine user groups' opinions indicating the potential for conﬂict regarding the most important management strategies.

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