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How to save hundreds of millions of dollars

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on October 20, 2007 at 6:39 am

Aquafornia reader Bill Arens writes:

I have held a Grade 2 California Water Treatment Operators Permit and have taken the classes required for the Grade 3 & 4 as well as the classes required for the California Grade 2 Waste Water Treatment Operators Permit. The following suggestion is based on what I have learned from these classes.

We have been told that we must reduce the PPM (Parts Per Million) of chloride in the effluent (Output) of our waste water plants in the Santa Clarita Valley. If we do not we will be required to build a treatment plant, for hundreds of millions of dollars, which will require millions of dollars a year to operate. In addition to this we will have to install a pipeline from here to the ocean to transport the residue from this plant which in it self could cause an unwanted environmental impact. I believe there is a better way.

Properly treated waste water is suitable for human contact, having had any bio hazard removed, and can be used for irrigation or discharged into a water way. This water way may be the primary water source for a water treatment plant down stream which supplies potable water for human consumption for the community it serves. This process is used all across the country.

If we were to pump the effluent from our waste water plants to the head waters of the Castaic Lake where it would have time to BLEND with the water from the aqueduct it could be recycled in its entirety, diluting the chloride levels to well below the required levels, and save hundreds of millions of dollars in the process.

The YUCK FACTOR! Ok, some people will have a problem with the “YUCK FACTOR” but it is not as bad as you think. To start with, the water we pull in from the Sacramento Delta is down stream of Multiple waste water plants and has been for over 30 years. That means that for over 30 years you have been drinking water that has been run, in part, through a waste water plant and you haven’t died! You didn’t even get sick! That’s because our modern water treatment plants can clean this water so it is safe, clean and healthy even though it passed through a waste water plant.

There may be some issue of the amount of water in the river would be reduced and farmers that would complain. No problem. Simply establish a water feed from the lake with the appropriate amount of water from the Lake. Since the chloride levels have been diluted, that water will meet the standards required.

The only costs here are for the pipe, (one time cost) the pumps and the power to run them. The power costs could be shared with the State water system (they will be able to sell some of this water) and the Sanitation District. A worst case situation is the waste water plants would require upgrades to meet the recycling standards which would be considerably lower in cost than a reverse osmosis plant and far less expensive to operate! I believe at least one of our plants meets that standard now.

Lets get over the YUCK and save a BUCK!
Bill

October 20, 2007 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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