In October 2024, the European Commission's Directorate-General for Environment published a video in its Water Matters series asking whether desalination can help meet Europe's freshwater needs. According to the item, several southern EU countries relied on desalination for drinking water and agriculture. As drawbacks, the Commission cited high costs, high energy demand and large volumes of brine containing chemicals, which can disrupt salinity and affect marine flora and fauna when discharged. Technological improvements were making the process cheaper and more sustainable.
The item reflects the Commission's position at the time: desalination was seen as a drought-proof option, but only after protecting the water cycle, encouraging reuse, reducing leakages and cutting abstractions.
Source: European Commission, Directorate-General for Environment