Proposal to Conversion of Sea Water Into Potable Water

Ministry of Earth Sciences, through National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), has been working on the Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) Technology that utilizes the temperature difference available between surface water and deep sea water. In this methodology, the warmer surface sea water is evaporated at low pressures and the vapour obtained are condensed using the colder deep sea water. Three LTTD plants have been successfully commissioned in the country, one each at Kavaratti, Minicoy, and Agatti islands of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. The capacity of each of these LTTD plants is 1 lakh liter of potable water per day. The fresh water produced is supplied through local pipe network within the same Island. The Lakshadweep Administration requested NIOT for setting up similar plants in remaining six islands. NIOT has sent a detailed project report to the Lakshadweep Administration in this regard. Work has been initiated to set up a prototype LTTD plant with a capacity of generating 2 million litres of potable water per day at the Tuticorin Thermal Power station, Tamil Nadu.