Is desalinated water drinkable?

Question

Is desalinated water drinkable? Does desalinated water meets the WHO potable water recommendations or it has to again treated for drinking purpose?

Chang Aing · Accepted Answer

Thermal Desalination Process
Thermal desalination processes produce distilled water, which is quite pure. Whereas seawater contains some 40 kilos of salt per ton, distilled water has only a few grams of salt per ton. In this sense it does not comply with WHO recommendations. However having a glass of it would not be a problem. The problem is preservation of such water since it will acidify, become corrosive and can easily be contaminated. Therefore water desalinated for human consumption is mineralised and chlorinated before dispatch for drinking purpose.

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