Concentrate Management

Desal Matrix: Inland: Concentrate Management

Type	Environmental & Public Health Risks/Regulations	Engineering	Energy & Greenhouse Gas Issue	Economics, Finance & Social Issues
Description	(environmental impacts, permitting, mitigation)	(technology and performance)	(power needs and carbon footprint)	(benefits and costs, rates, PUC issues, TBL)
Surface Water Discharge – Discharge to Ocean via “Brine Line”	Potential adverse impacts to receiving water quality and aquatic organisms.	Often only feasible for coastal brackish water desalination plans where access to ocean is easy.	Energy requirements vary significantly based on the concentrate disposal method used.	When available, surface water discharge can be the simplest and most economical option for concentrate disposal.
Surface Water Discharge – Freshwater Discharge	Potential adverse impacts to receiving water quality and aquatic organisms.	Surface water discharge is a common, relatively low-energy, low-technology solution.
Sewer Discharge	Potential for minor water quality degradation downstream of WWTP	Can be most convenient option if there is existing sewer service.		WWTP fees can make this methid cost prohibitive.
Injection Wells	Permitting can be complex due to environmental and geological concerns.	Applicability is dependent on local geology.		Economies of scale makes this method more feasible for larger capacity plants.
Evaporation Ponds	Potential adverse impacts to adjacent waterways, soils, groundwater and/or wildlife.	Large surface area requirements as determined by evaporation rate and concentrate flow.		Costs are typically excessive for all but the smallest plants.
Irrigation/Land Application	Potential adverse effects from surface runoff, salt accumulation and groundwater quality degradation.	Potential adverse impacts on local groundwater aquifers, surface water, vegetation and soils.		Key cost variables include concentrate volume and salinity.
High Recovery Processing, including Zero Liquid Discharge	Final brine disposal can have adverse environmental effects.	ZLD has not yet been implemented for municipal desalination.		ZLD is usually cost prohibitive for municipal desal plants.

Previous:Desalting Process