"We effectively use it to rinse our mouth three times and then spit out, " explained Daniel Limonadi, the Curiosity surface sampling phase lead at the US space agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

BBC: Nasa's Curiosity Mars rover to scoop sand sample

The firm said the construction phase would create hundreds of new jobs while the surface mine site could be tapped for geothermal energy to provide heating and cooling for the homes.

BBC: 'Garden city' plan for Margam opencast mine

In the final landing phase, the spacecraft will hover on its jets about 65 feet above the surface and unreel the rover on three Kevlar cables in what NASA engineers call a "sky crane, " lowering it to the ground at less than two miles per hour.

WSJ: Mars Mission Seeks a Happy Landing

Phase II, planned for 2011, will identify both aquifers down to 3, 000 meters below the surface, study soil composition and aquifer replenishment, and prioritize areas for agricultural development.

UNESCO: launches initiative to identify groundwater and alleviate water shortages in Iraq | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization