LETTER TO THE HONORABLE STEWART UDALL FROM ALLEN W. DULLES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R001000080007-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 11, 2003
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: August 5, 1961
• Content Type: LETTER

The Honorable Stewart UdalV
The Secretary of the Interior
Washington 25, D. C.
This letter is in response to your recent request for information
on Soviet efforts in the field of desalination. The Soviets have a
relatively small program on desalination which is poorly coard r*tL,d
and directed, and which appears aimed first at obtaining highly
purified water for electric power stations and second, potable water
for population and industrial uses in and regions. Only on a long-
range basis does the program appear to be directed toward o`htainir 4
low-cost water for irrigation purposes.
The Soviet program does not me asure up to that of the "Jnited
States and is estimated to be five and possibly ton years behind our:;
on a point by point comparative basis. They are, however, proba.b=S
ahead of most other countries, with the possible exception of the
United Kingdom. It is probable that in the future the Soviet effort v.4i1
follow the pattern of that of the U. S. , based largely on published l.. S.
technology.
A highlight of the Soviet work is tis installation of an a lectr o
dialysis unit on a 5, gad ton river steamship "Tula. " The reported
capacity of the unit is about 12 tons per day. According to Soviet
reports, tin installation has been operating economically and sue a ss-
fully for over one year. Another similar unit has apparently beer,
built for general agriculture purposes. It appears that the Soviet j
consider eeleatrodialysis the most favorable noeathod of deealiration Far
and areas and as. currently giving it more emphasis than other
three years ago the Soviet press published many articles perusing
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WASHINGTON 25, D. C.
OFFICE OF THE/!!DIRECTOR
j
They have indicated they plan to supply the necessary
electric power for the se units from wind energy gene raters.
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that the and lands obtain potable water through use of i ::xe;v- i%je
resins. It appears now that the ion .xc tge concept for t-0i4 t=
has been displaced by electrodialysis. respite the ;ioriet ~ e; Buis
on eleetredi.alysie, however, they are not as far advancer.a: ta: I
field as the United mites.
For purely propaganda value the Soviets could 0ftcv +eee e
equipment to underdeveloped nations probably based on older =i
economical equipnent and technology now in use in the J?
has been. however, rw single largo effort or installation ~:v
to come to our attention which r.=eight approach in site,
or technical value the several pilot installations spoe
Department of the Ir terier. The installations of ale ctrodiely
?e nt by the Soviets aIoard a river boat is a forward step t-it = ,
class with U. S. twork.
In the `United Aates we appear to hens coins to the t o= c-1 iz,=
that desalination is a problem peculiar to a particular atta cad =hat
each desalination problem therefor* requires an to .v d- .g s a
There is no one method or ctquip n Bent satisfactory for all 4t-sal
problems. V" a believe that the E` ovieets have not yet reach: s ? tI.i:
cluslon and estimate that it might be five years hence before t= y
The above n>atetial brings tp to date the 19Sg re-put-
100-58 of 15 April 1958, entitled "Soviet . esearch an the esa
Water" Oor Official lee 'nly), a copy of vrhicb is s l+ =. L
ligenco reports received since publication of this report b.a?ve _ erve
to confirm the data in the report.
Since rely.
M
Allen V. -t--aileis
1 Director
Enclosure:
CIA/SI 1O0-53, 15 < itc 5p
(For Official Use (: nly)
R _ ~S .J~/~ / Approved For Release 2003/07;CIA-RDP80B01676R001000080007-8