Low energy system and method of desalinating seawater

A method of desalinating seawater comprising:

• reducing a concentration of monovalent species in the seawater in a first desalting stage to produce partially desalted water;
• producing a brine solution from the seawater, the brine solution having a total dissolved solids concentration that is greater than the concentration of total dissolved solids in the seawater;
• introducing the partially desalted water into a first depleting compartment of an electrically-driven separation device;
• and
• introducing the brine solution into a second depleting compartment of the electrically-driven separation device, the second depleting compartment included in a concentration cell pair along with a half-cell concentration compartment, wherein introducing the brine solution into the second depleting compartment induces transportation of at least a portion of a dissolved species from the partially desalted water in the first depleting compartment into the half-cell concentration compartment of the concentration cell pair under the influence of a concentration-induced electrical potential developed in the concentration cell pair.