78. Mr. B. Harrisonasked the Minister of Education, as representing the Minister for Science, what research is at present being carried out in this country on salt water conversion; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir D. EcclesIn the U.K. emphasis has been placed on distillation and electrodialysis and a number of British built plants, using these techniques, are in operation for the conversion of salt water to drinking water. The technique of ion exchange has been shown to be economically applicable only to waters of low salt content. Research into all three techniques is being carried out in the U.K. by a number of industrial firms. Investigations of solar distillation are being carried out by the Tropical Products Institute which may lead, if successful, to equipment suitable for use in sunny climates on a fairly large scale and also on a small scale for single households.