Better for the Environment
Water Standard Company's Seawater Desalination Vessel (SDV) delivers a broad range of environmental, operational, and energy benefits that in many circumstances are better than those provided by land-based desalination systems.
  • Environmentally responsible. The SDV's technologies were developed to protect marine life and the ocean ecology, and the seagoing vessels pose no threat to shorelines.
  • Reduced energy demand. The SDV's processes minimize the distance from intake to the desalination system, and the distance of the discharge of the concentrate through outfall, significantly reducing power demands.
  • Smaller carbon footprint. The SDV in many instances will have a smaller carbon footprint than land-based options because it is more fuel efficient; its ability to produce power onboard eliminates line loss associated with land-based power plants; it does not need water to produce power, thus further reducing energy consumption; and it does not rely on land-based power often fueled by coal.
  • Dependable operations. Because it has its own power source, the SDV is unaffected by blackouts, brownouts, or earthquakes. And being sea-based rather than land-based, it can easily move out of the way of storms without disrupting operations.
  • No sensory impact, if required. The SDV can operate far offshore, thus eliminating the visual, noise, light, and vibration impacts of land-based desalination plants.
  • Faster permitting. The SDV meets or exceeds the requirements of applicable environmental rules. Yet the reduced complexity of associated permits can shorten overall delivery and permitting times.
  • Proven processes. The SDV combines proven desalination processes with advanced proprietary technologies to provide reliable, permanent solutions to water shortage problems.
How does the technology work?
Marine life can be sensitive to sudden changes in salinity concentrations and temperature variations. The SDV's Salinity Plume Deterrent System prevents these changes by quickly and thoroughly diluting the concentrate flow stream with ambient seawater using a series of internal baffles (flat plates that control the flow). During this mixing process, the salt content of the concentrate is rebalanced to nearly the same benign salinity and temperature as the ambient surface seawater. This ensures that no sea life is harmed by the discharged exit water.