MUNICIPAL WATER AND WASTEWATER INDUSTRY

The purpose of this project is to provide technology and information on the cost effective use of energy to deliver clean drinking water, treat, dispose, and reuse wastewater, and dispose of residuals, biosolids, and brines. Advanced technologies include ozonation of drinking water, freeze/thaw waste conditioning, and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection techniques. The available supply of high quality water and sufficient wastewater treatment capacity are essential to future economic development of a region. On average, municipal water/wastewater industries comprise approximately 3 percent of the total electrical load (approximately 75 billion kWh per year). Due to population increases, the load for these industries is projected to increase by more than 20 percent over the next 15 years. Of key interest in this EPRI target is the need for clean drinking water and the use of water for industrial purposes.
This project supports the PIER Program objectives of:
• Improving the energy cost/value of California's electricity by providing advanced technologies to cost effectively deliver clean water, and process and dispose of wastes derived from water treatment; and
• Improving the public health costs/risks of California's electricity ratepayers by providing technologies that effectively purify water and wastewater.
Proposed Outcomes:
1. Increase the potential for application of ozonation of drinking water.
2. Increase the potential for application of advanced technologies for water and wastewater treatment.
3. Increase the potential for application of Pulsed UV for Water/Wastewater Disinfection.
Actual Outcomes:
1. Ozonation.
• A progress report was published on a feasibility study on the use of ozone disinfection system at a large-scale wastewater treatment plant.
• A document entitled Issues for Ozone for Drinking Water Treatment was published.
• A technical report was published on minimizing the operating and capital costs of ozonation systems.
• A tech brief was published on ozone uses in small drinking water systems.
• A report was published on Phase III of the Ozone Efficiency Project, which focused on optimization of ozone use during pre-design and design of water treatment systems.
2. Advanced technologies for water and wastewater treatment.
• A manual was published on membrane technologies for municipal water treatment that describes different membrane technologies similarities and differences, operational parameters, and aspects to consider.
• Tech briefs were published on results of a project conducted with California water districts to investigate ozone use, desalination, reclaimed water technologies, membrane treatment of industrial wastewater, and denitrification of potable drinking water.
• A CD-ROM was produced with an overview of water and wastewater treatment processes.
• A generic model was developed for an energy and water quality management system.
• A microporous membrane pretreatment and reverse osmosis desalination system was tested in a California wastewater reclamation project, and results were reported.
• A report was published on VARIO-ROTM, a promising pumping and energy recovery technology for the reverse osmosis desalination process.
• A tech brief was published on technologies for improving water desalination.
• A document was published on desalination of brackish water and seawater.
• A tech brief was published on water treatment plant residuals.
• A report was published on the status of small-system, onsite decentralized wastewater treatment plants in the United States.
• A workshop was conducted entitled Promising Electrotechnologies to Enhance Water and Wastewater Treatment.
3. Pulsed Ultraviolet Light for drinking water disinfection.
• A report was published on pulsed UV light for drinking water disinfection and membrane fouling control.
• A tech brief was published on the results of research conducted by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to evaluate the effectiveness of pulsed UV light for drinking water treatment.
• A progress report was published on pilot testing of four different UV reactor configurations and three types of lamps for potable water disinfection.
• A report was published on a UV demonstration at a wastewater treatment plant in Poughkeepsie, New York.
Project Status: The Commission's participation in this target ended as of December 31, 2000.