Focusing on the financial side is okay, though I would mention that the energy cost is only half of the total cost, according to the literature. But desalinatio

Focusing on the financial side is okay, though I would mention that the energy cost is only half of the total cost, according to the literature. But desalination is not only about money. It has an impact on its environment, because it pumps fresh sea water and reject brine. These operations have a high cost for the local marine life. A large desalination plant means large patches in the sea where life is not sustainable. BTW, if an average US house really needs 1m^3 per day, that's appalling. These past years, my house has used less than 10m^3 per year and per person. 30× less. I'm afraid most US homes will keep wasting drinkable water and pressure society on building desalination plants, rather than halve (at least!) their water usage and protect the environment.