[Raiderman]

Originally Posted by ecd3easy

Desalination anyone? Why isn't more wildly used in the coastal areas here in the US?

The story of the West is the story of water.

Because we have water right over there in the Colorado River and Lake Mead. Why go through the expense of building billion dollar desalinization plants?

[Tek_Freek]

Originally Posted by Raiderman

Because we have water right over there in the Colorado River and Lake Mead. Why go through the expense of building billion dollar desalinization plants?

From: Graphene - Material of the Future? | Sutura

Get this – graphene by itself is hydrophobic, meaning it repels water, but capillaries of graphene oxide actually suck in water! Graphene oxide is a derivative of graphene that’s much easier and cheaper to make. A sheet of graphene oxide is capable of filtering out the finest salts in seawater, gases such as helium, and frankly everything else. Lockheed Martin has actually been building and trying to patent their version of this graphene water filter, which they call Perforene. Apparently it is expected to be available in 2015.

Someone inform California!

[lvoc]

Originally Posted by Tek_Freek

From: Graphene - Material of the Future? | Sutura



Someone inform California!

Kind of atomic version of millipore. There are some interesting problems. Like how to keep the pores from blocking with the stuff you are filtering out.

Use to work in a lab where we used an electrophoretic process to keep the impurities from blocking millipore. I suspect though the rub is that the product when it passes through may be low enough in electrical conduction to stop the process. What you need is some conductive salt remaining that is easily removed or at a low enough level to not effect use as pure water.

Be a fun thing to work on.

[CityWok]

There was an article recently on CNN about the latest on the desalination situation, and how the costs for building them are getting lower and lower. Once it makes economic sense (or once the crisis become worthwhile enough) undoubtedly California (the biggest consumer of Lake Mead, currently) could tap that:

Cities are preparing for predicted, widespread water shortages. - CNN.com

[BBMW]

The amount is way down. If it wasn't distribution would not be a problem.

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

The problem is water distribution, not amount.

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by BBMW

The amount is way down. If it wasn't distribution would not be a problem.

No, the amount of water is exactly the same. There is less and less fresh water as the ice caps melt. But the amount of water is basically constant. The problem is the water isn't where we want it. And as the sea levels rise, it's more and more where we don't.

More places will experience flooding. More places will experience drought. And weather will become increasingly weird. We are marching, mostly oblivious, into what the Chinese call "interesting times."

[BBMW]

I was talking about the Colorado River. I thought you were too.

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

No, the amount of water is exactly the same. There is less and less fresh water as the ice caps melt. But the amount of water is basically constant. The problem is the water isn't where we want it. And as the sea levels rise, it's more and more where we don't.

More places will experience flooding. More places will experience drought. And weather will become increasingly weird. We are marching, mostly oblivious, into what the Chinese call "interesting times."

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by BBMW

I was talking about the Colorado River. I thought you were too.

It's all connected.

[Caltovegas]

Is there any risk of a major flood for Las Vegas. When flying in it seems like Vegas is a city dropped down in a bowl.

[Raiderman]

Originally Posted by Caltovegas

Is there any risk of a major flood for Las Vegas. When flying in it seems like Vegas is a city dropped down in a bowl.

Only when it rains and you're driving under an overpass...