Global water scarcity demands resilient and sustainable water management paradigms, prompting an urgent need to evaluate both supply-side technological interventions and demand-side conservation strategies. While seawater desalination offers a virtually limitless water source, its conventional deployment is often constrained by immense energy requirements and significant environmental externalities. Conversely, water conservation strategies present a more ecologically benign approach, yet they may fall short of addressing severe regional water deficits in isolation. This paper introduces a comprehensive evaluation framework designed to compare the long-term sustainability of various desalination methodologies, including passive solar techniques and artificial intelligence-optimized active systems, against systemic water conservation practices. By synthesizing multidimensional sustainability metrics, this study aims to provide policymakers and water resource managers with a robust, hypothetical data-driven approach for balancing technological expansion with ecological stewardship.

Keywords

Water, Strategy, Desalination, Conservation, Evaluation, Technology, Sustainability.