The government of the dual-island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis may use seawater desalination to offset water shortages.  The Caribbean nation’s Minister of Public Infrastructure, Ian Liburd, has revealed that the government may reactivate an existing reverse osmosis desalination plant at La Valle.  Liburd indicated the government is examining the cost of relocating the La Valle plant to a more suitable location in the Basseterre area; and it is also discussing the use of mobile reverse osmosis plants.^[1]

The Indian government’s “Smart Cities Mission” will fund a new $25 (USD) million desalination plant in Chennai.^[2]  Chennai’s new plant will supply water to the neighbourhood of Thyagaraya Nagar, although the government has not yet identified the location of the plant.  According to the Ministry of Urban Development, the objective of creating “smart cities” is to provide citizens with “core infrastructure,” “a decent quality of life,” and “a clean and sustainable environment.”^[3]   The core infrastructure elements include: adequate water supply; assured electricity supply; sanitation, including solid waste management; efficient public transport; affordable housing; IT connectivity; and health and education.^[4]  According to Deloitte, the creation of 100 smart cities will require an investment of over $150 billion (USD), with at least $120 billion from the private sector.^[5] 

Chennai is among the first batch of 20 cities—out of a total of 100 cities—that will be developed according to these objectives across the country.  Its new plant in Thyagaraya Nagar will provide 41,000 cubic metres per day to more than 300,000 residents (the neighbourhood’s existing population is 226,000 people and current water demand is 30,000 cubic metres per day).  The Hindu reports that as soon as this plant is successfully implemented, the government will accept proposals to develop infrastructure in other parts of Chennai.^[6]

At the University of Illinois, researchers have developed a device that uses the materials in sodium ion batteries to remove salt ions from water.  Dr Kyle Smith, Professor of Mechanical Science and Engineering at Illinois, has published the results of his research (with graduate student Rylan Dmello) in the Journal of the Electrochemical Society.  This publication introduces an innovative device to the desalination community, as well as the battery community.^[7]