Is saline water used for anything?

In the U.S., about 13 percent of all water used is saline water. But saline water can only be used for certain purposes. The main use is for thermoelectric power-plant cooling. About 5 percent of water used for industrial purposes is saline, and about 53 percent of all water used for mining purposes is saline.

Saline water can be desalinated for use as drinking water by putting it through a process to remove the salt. While this method is used extensively in Middle East countries, the process costs so much that it isn't used very much in the United States.

Learn more:

• Saline Water Use in the United States
• Water Use in the United States