DESALINATION OF SEA WATER IN AUSTRALIA A new Life-Line or an Expensive Pipedream? Desalination has been touted as the saviour for Australia’s current water shortage. Will it solve our long term water supply problems in Australia or will it become an expensive pipe dream? Desalination is the conversion of sea water into fresh drinking water through a process called reverse osmosis. Saudi Arabia has long been using desalination plants for nearly all their drinking water. They have invested bi.