AWWA MTC61177

The BPTC Valley Task Force was formed as part of the effort to determine the best practicable treatment and control (BPTC) for prevention of groundwater degradation due to elevated total dissolved solids (TDS) in effluent from wastewater treatment plants in the Tulare Lake Basin. The task force contracted with Carollo Engineers to develop unit cost data for processes capable of reducing salts in effluent prior to groundwater discharge, and separately for desalting groundwater extracted for potable use. Cost curves developed for this purpose are based on treatment alternatives consisting of membrane desalting and concentrate management resulting in zero liquid discharge (ZLD) - salts that would otherwise accumulate in groundwater would be removed and exported to a landfill as a solid waste. Includes figures.