How can desalinization of sea water for drinking water be safe?

Question

I was watching the news about the new "desal ship". Apparently it takes sea water and turns it into drinking water.

How can this be safe when salt in the water is the LEAST of our problems? There are decomposing bodies, fish p**p, sewage, and whatever else is in Davy Jones' locker that we don't know about. How the heck do you filter that safely?

Answer 1

You don't filter it. The best systems use distillation, which produces water so pure, you have to add a tiny amount of sea water to make it taste good.

And don't pooh-pooh your municipal water. Most of it is far better than what you buy in bottles. It is much more tightly regulated. There are, to be sure, a few bad sources. I've had water that tasted like mud (LA), like mold (FL), and like rotten eggs (LA) (three different municipalities) but NYC water matches up well to Perrier in blind taste tests.

Answer 2

Of all the water on earth, only about 2% is safe for us to drink.  Desalinization is used to help increase that amount of safe water. To safely filter water, it goes through many stages.  First things first, all solids are filtered out with a simple screen which only water can pass through.  The water is then put is a giant tank were chemicals are added to make the harmful safe.  Lastly the water is sterilized so it does not carry disease and bacteria.  Then the water is safe to drink.

Answer 3

Do you have any idea where the water you drank today came from? I don't think you want to know. Sea water can be made safe.