Potable Water in Saudi Arabia
Chemistry: AQA GCSE Higher, topic 10.1.4
Potable Water in Saudi Arabia
There are many methods for producing potable water. In Saudi Arabia, the conditions are very different to the UK and so a different method is used.
Seawater
- Rainfall levels are low, and so supplies of fresh water can't be relied upon.
- Seawater is used as an alternative to fresh water.
Treating seawater
- Seawater must be desalinated (have the salt removed) to make it potable. There are 2 desalination methods:
- Distillation: boiling seawater creates steam, which then condenses to give pure water.
- Reverse osmosis: a selective membrane only allows water molecules to pass through. This results in larger molecules being separated out of the water.
Cost of treating seawater
- The major disadvantage of both desalination methods is that their high energy demands mean that costs are high.
Test yourself on Potable Water in Saudi Arabia
What are the methods of desalinating seawater?
Why are both methods of desalination expensive?
Why does the UK produce potable water mainly from rainwater while Saudi Arabia produces it mainly from seawater?
How does distillation produce pure water from seawater?
How does reverse osmosis produce pure water from seawater?