One of the fastest and easiest ways to treat salt water so that it is disinfected and safe is to use electrochlorination treatments. During this process, an electrical current will be sent through the water treatment container from an exterior source. When the electricity passes through the salt water at the correct levels, hypochlorite is formed, along with hydrogen, in its gas form. The whole process is known as desalination, and it makes it so that the salt water can be used in many other ways which traditionally are the territory of freshwater. How the Process Works There are a few different steps in the process. It all begins by taking out anything solid that is in the water, such as dirt and debris. Next, the water has to be run through a long tube that slowly grows thinner as it moves along. An anode and a cathode flank either side of the tube. At the right time, a DC current, set at a very low level, is introduced to the water. This is when the gas and the chemicals are created. The gas can then be removed from the mixture, and what is left is pure water. No Other Chemicals It is worth noting that the electrochlorination treatments do not require you to use any foreign chemicals. Many other tactics to remove salt from water involve pouring chemicals into them, which is not as useful for two reasons. First of all, you are then adding chemicals to the water that you are going to drink, which, though no ill effects have been shown, is not as good for your body. The second reason is that you need more items for the process, since you have to buy the chemicals, and this raises the cost. A machine that uses electricity simply has to be purchased once and it can then be used repeatedly without the need to go out and buy anything else. Where Is This Commonly Used? There are a number of ways in which these systems are most often employed. You will find them frequently being used with pools. Rather than pouring chlorine into the water, pools will be filled with water that has been electrified and desalinated. This cuts back on the cost because chlorine is expensive. On top of that, some people are allergic to chemicals like chlorine, but they will be able to use a pool that has been desalinated without it, and these pools will not change the colors of their bathing suits, as chlorine has been known to do from time to time since it is so harsh. You can also use this process to make drinking water. In the future, as freshwater drinking sources are used up, this could become very important indeed. As of now, it is not used as often for drinking water as it is for pools due to the fact that there is already an abundance of drinkable water, which makes any cost to desalinate water higher than people desire to pay. This could change in the years to come. The Downfall of Seawater Another reason that electrochlorination treatments are more commonly used for pools, water parks, and things of this nature than for drinking is that seawater that has been desalinated tends to taste somewhat brackish when compared to normal drinking water. People do not mind in a pool setting, but they would not buy it in bottles. However, great success is being had with these treatments at hotels and other public swimming areas, where water can be treated for a low cost, keeping people healthier and away from chemicals.
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