FEASIBILITY OF SMALL-SCALE, OFF-GRID DESALINATION IN NAVAJO NATION

Water scarcity is affecting billions of people around the world and the utilization of brackish water, defined as having total dissolved salt content between 500-10,000 mg/L, could provide a potential solution. This paper focuses on the Navajo Nation in the southwest of the United States, an extremely water stressed region, due to many homes lacking piped water and electricity. Previous work points to membrane desalination being a suitable off-grid technology for providing potable water. By analyzing overlaps of various maps, feasible regions for desalination were identified due to high potential for positive impact and opportunity for desalination to succeed. This geographic analysis revealed the southern region as the focal point for this study, which was corroborated by various partners. Water haulers and stakeholders in diverse organizations affiliated with water management were interviewed to elucidate design requirements for a highly-adoptable desalination system. Engaging with stakeholders at the beginning of the design process validated the proposal of desalination as a technical solution. Additionally, the interviews revealed sensitive design requirements and unique challenges that will aid the designers in the following stages of the design process. Future work will include a robust evaluation of membrane desalination technologies to select the best suited for this application.