Biwater to build novel water reuse pilot project in California

Water and wastewater systems provider Biwater will construct a pilot advanced water treatment plant for Padre Dam Municipal Water District in California, US.

The plant will explore new water source Santee basin.

Biwater will design, supply and commission an indirect potable reuse water plant to treat secondary effluent from a wastewater treatment plant in the district.

The water treated at the plant is injected into the groundwater basin Santee to undergo natural filtration. It is treated again before distribution as potable water to customers in California.

The treated water will be used for demonstration and testing to ensure it meets the California Public Health Department’s draft regulations.

Biwater desalination and membrane treatment sector president Jorg Menningmann said: "This innovative project will see the Padre Dam District set new benchmarks for water reuse and enable it to create a reliable source of water, underpinning East San Diego County’s economy and future prosperity."

Being funded by a grant, the project will implement advanced purification technologies, including chlorine disinfection, coagulation, ultra-filtration, reverse osmosis (RO) and advanced oxidation (using ultraviolet (UV) light and oxidation) for water treatment.

The facility will feature field pumps, a chemical dosing system, a programmable logic controller (PLC) and instrumentation, motor control centres and electrical panels.

The demonstration project is expected to continue for a year after it is commissioned, while studies will continue to assess the capacity of Santee basin aquifer.

The feasibility of extending the project beyond the demonstration and testing period will be assessed later.

After the testing period, the district expects to expand the facility to supply ten million gallons of reusable water a day.

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Image: The project will use advanced purification technologies. Photo: courtesy of Biwater.