Breakthrough in Arid Egypt For Making Salty Sea Water Drinkable

In a country suffering from a severe water shortage, a new innovation could turn salty seawater into a ready supply for drinking and irrigation.


It was created using a sheet-like membrane, made from five simple ingredients available throughout North Africa, which allows a process called “pervaporation,” letting water vapor pass through the membrane while trapping the impurities.

The salt in the water bonds with the membrane, allowing the vapor to be harvested as fresh water for drinking or irrigation.

The process eliminates the need for electricity, which is used by massive desalination plants currently costing millions to operate. If successful, this innovation would allow people to effectively make their own drinking water from saltwater using just the membrane and a heat source such as a fire or stove burner.