By Regina M. Buono, Katherine R. Zodrow, Pedro J.J. Álvarez and Qilin Li

This issue brief describes the current state of brackish groundwater use and development in the United States.

Marty Schladen, El Paso Times, 6:57 p.m. MDT April 1, 2016.

AUSTIN — The El Paso Water Utility got a boost this week in a partnership meant to make the Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination Plant more productive.

California, USA – 1 February 2016: Biwater will commence work on two new reverse osmosis (RO) expansion projects in California, USA, later this month following the award of contracts to support the ‘Chino Desalter Phase 3 Expansion Plan’ in Chino and the ‘Goldsworthy Desalter Expansion Project’ in Torrance.

In Chino, expansion works will add an additional RO skid that will increase membrane treatment capacity by 1.8 million gallons per day (MGD (US)). The expansion of the Chino I Desalter supports The Chino Desalter Phase 3 Expansion Plan, which will provide operational flexibility, increase efficiency, and allow the agency to increase the available water supply. The project will help the Chino Basin Watermaster achieve hydraulic control of the Chino Basin to reduce or eliminate migration of brackish groundwater from the southern section of the basin into the Santa Ana River. The project will also address salinity issues that could limit future use of recycled water in the Chino Basin.

Meanwhile in Torrance, Biwater will add 2.3 MGD (US) RO treatment capacity to Goldsworthy Desalter, which will reduce demand on imported water supplies. This expansion project complements other local initiatives aimed at improving regional water supply reliability.

“These two contract awards demonstrate local efforts to harness the potential of existing facilities by increasing treatment capacity and decreasing energy consumption. Biwater is considered a partner of choice for such expansion projects, with the company’s extensive experience in desalination and membrane treatment in North America,” said Jorg Menningmann, President, Biwater’s Desalination and Membrane Treatment Sector (Biwater Inc.).

Biwater will be designing, supplying and supervising the installation of RO equipment on both sites, including testing and start up. Systems will be delivered semi-assembled on a fast-track basis and incorporate energy recovery, which will significantly reduce the overall specific energy consumption of the two facilities.