Since the discovery of present-day liquid water on Mars by NASA scientists, many individuals have felt that this could be the solution to current and projected water shortages on earth, or even that Mars could be an alternate living space for humans.
Unfortunately, the water on Mars is not drinkable because it contains too many salts called perchlorates, which can be extremely toxic to humans.
Perchlorates in the drinking water can cause harm to the skin, gastrointestinal tract, breast tissue and the placenta, as well as causing thyroid problems, which is why various US states have issued limits on how many perchlorates can be in drinking water.
The water on Mars is far saltier than the saltiest water on earth, which can be found in Antarctica’s Don Juan Pond, and we know we cannot drink salt water, which is how people that are shipwrecked and end up floating in the sea can die of dehydration. According to NASA planetologist Chris McKay, the water in the Don Juan Pond is so salty that NOTHING can live in its brine.
So, before we think of building condominiums on Mars, we will have to think about some way of ensuring that there is drinkable water there, as importing fresh water supplies from earth will be far too expensive and unsustainable in the long-term. Burning oxygen and hydrogen to produce water like the stranded astronaut from The Martian will not work, and neither will a humidifier.
The most effective method of keeping humans hydrated is to ensure that there is sufficient fresh drinking water on hand. There is actually loads of ice on the planet, especially at the polar caps, which makes for a nice stable source of water, although probably not a renewable one.
It seems that the only way to get at the freshwater on Mars would be to drill for it. Unfortunately this would mean having to drill all over the planet, as the water is spread out over very large areas, which means that the volume at any one place would be rather insignificant for human needs.
At this stage, with settlements on Mars being a long way away, it would be better if we rather saved water wherever we can, reusing and recycling where possible to ensure that there is sufficient drinking water for future generations.
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