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Two Options for Disposal of Desalination Reject Water

by Louis J. Armstrong, Woodward-Clyde Consultants, Oakland, United States,
Phillip R. Mineart, Woodward-Clyde Consultants, Oakland, United States,
Ralph H. Cross, III, Woodward-Clyde Consultants, Oakland, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Hydraulic Engineering

Abstract:

A major problem associated with the use of desalination plants for the production of fresh water is the disposal of the reject water. This water is typically double the salinity of the intake water. The increase in salinity results in a discharge that is denser than the ambient water, which can significantly reduce the dilution achieved from an outfall or diffuser located on the sea floor. Two alternative disposal options were studied. The first option is to dispose of the reject water in an existing wastewater outfall and diffuser. This option was considered for the Central Marin Sanitation Agency's (CMSA) waste treatment plant outfall in San Rafael, California. The second option is to use a diffuser mounted just below the water surface and pointing downward. The second option was analyzed for a site in an enclosed bay. We present a comparison of the two disposal options and discuss the relevant parameters associated with each.

Subject Headings: Salt water | Desalination | Water treatment plants | Diffusion | Water intakes | Wastewater management | Waste treatment plants | California | United States

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