What is desalination?

Desalination refers specifically to the technique of removing salt and other impurities from seawater to produce fresh water suitable for drinking and irrigation. This process is critical in areas, particularly coastal regions or places facing freshwater shortages, where seawater is abundant but drinkable water is scarce.

The method involves several technologies, including reverse osmosis and distillation, to separate the salt from the water. Given California’s water challenges, desalination is considered a potential solution to supplement the water supply, providing an alternative resource where freshwater is limited.

Filtering water and recycling wastewater, while relevant for water management, do not directly pertain to the process of desalination. Storing rainwater also serves important purposes but does not involve the treatment of seawater to produce fresh water. Therefore, option B clearly captures the essence of desalination as it focuses on transforming seawater into a usable freshwater resource.