DESSALEMENT DE L’EAU DE MER ET IMPACTS ENVIRONNEMENTAUX : CAS DE LA STATION D’EL-MACTAÂ

Abstract

Population expansion, urbanization, pollution, climate change and vegetation destruction are the main reasons for water scarcity, forcing most countries around the world to rely on new resources of providing drinking water. The most widely used alternative resource is seawater desalination. In this paper, the distribution of El-Mactaâ (Willaya of Mostaganem) reverse osmosis seawater desalination plant is described and its environmental impact considered. Sea water treatment in the EL-MACTAÂ station takes place in three stages. The process starts with a pretreatment by coarse filtration, followed by low-pressure membrane ultrafiltration. Pretreated water passes through reverse osmosis and finally via a treatment station which guarantees both the adjustment of the pH and the disinfection of the treated water. Despite its advantages seawater desalination is a major cause of damage to the environment.

Keywords

• desalination
• brackish
• reverses osmosis
• seawater
• and environment