Peter, do you realise that natural water cycles are essentially desalination systems that provide rain in a predictable way (unless unsustainably high carbon systems are supported causing climatic change)?

Desalination plants may be required in emergency situations like the one that the Western Cape is currently facing, but it's very important *at the same time* to re-orientate economies away from high carbon (and other forms of ecologically damaging) production and consumption systems, in order to reverse climate change. There is *massive* potential for supporting alternative low carbon living systems that contain huge amounts of carbon within them -when it comes to individuals and their communities especially in low carbon food systems (less meat, no processed food, support a local organic farmer) and low carbon transport systems (how about trying out some public transport?)