By Melissa Reynolds

With water scarce in many parts of the world, even in parts of the United States where supplies in reservoirs and groundwater basins are below average in many parts of California and most major water systems have reduced supplies, a new "smart" water system created by a team at UCLA seems to have come along just in time.

Created by researchers at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, the new mini-mobile-modular (M3) "smart" water desalination and filtration system makes clean water flow a little easier, in a way that is both relatively quick and cost-efficient.

The M3 is compact enough to be transported in the back of a van and can generate up to 6,000 gallons of drinking water per day from the sea, or up to 9,000 gallons from brackish groundwater. That equals enough daily drinking water for up to 12,000 people, if the average individual drinks approximately two litres a day.

Able to test almost any water source, the M3 is more cost efficient, time efficient and mobile than traditional water desalination plants. Professor Yoram Cohen, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and lead investigator on the team, says that while water desalination has existed for a long time, many of the earlier systems could only operate under a narrow range of conditions.

"Automation was lacking," Cohen says of previous desalination technology. "(The M3) can be up and running in a matter of a couple of hours."

Cohen adds that the M3 can also adjust itself to almost any variation in water without the supervision needed at a plant because all of the valves are computer controlled.

Standard practices in the industry previously consisted of different pilot plants being constructed to evaluate the feasibility of water production from different sources of water. This was both time-consuming and expensive. The M3 will help all of this move at a faster pace, saving time and money. In addition, because of its mobility, only one M3 is needed for multiple water sources.

"In order to have any kind of technology of that nature…the system needs to be robust," Cohen says.

The M3 measures water pH, temperature, turbidity and salinity and can control a variety of process variables. Cohen added that the system can adjust itself automatically.

In a recent field study in the San Joaquin Valley, the M3 desalted agricultural drainage water, resulting in 65% of the water being recovered as drinking water. The water was originally nearly saturated with calcium sulfate salts, and the desalting was accomplished with just one reverse osmosis.

Cohen says the next steps are to continue with field studies to provide more information on the M3's costs and abilities.

At a time when many areas in the world are in need of clean drinking water, the M3 is a step in the right direction towards meeting those needs.