What is the primary function of desalination?

Desalination is a process specifically designed to remove salt and other impurities from seawater, transforming it into freshwater that can be used for drinking, irrigation, and industrial processes. The primary function of desalination is to mitigate water scarcity, especially in arid regions where freshwater resources are limited. Through methods such as reverse osmosis or distillation, desalination allows for the conversion of abundant seawater into a viable source of freshwater, which addresses the increasing demand for water in many parts of the world.

The other options, while relevant to water management and environmental sustainability, do not capture the essence of desalination. Recycling wastewater focuses on treating used water for reuse, reducing stormwater runoff is related to managing excess rainwater to prevent flooding and erosion, and filtering agricultural runoff deals with improving water quality by removing pollutants from land runoff. These options represent different approaches to water management, but none directly pertain to the process of converting seawater into freshwater, which is the core purpose of desalination.