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AWWA WQTC65798
- Regulatory, Technical and Cost Impacts of Inland Membrane Concentrate Disposal: Assessment of the Colorado Membrane Treatment Workgroup
- Conference Proceeding by American Water Works Association, 11/01/2007
- Publisher: AWWA
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The lack of feasible and cost effective disposal options for concentrate (brine) frominland nanofiltration or reverse osmosis membrane (NF/RO) systems is a major challengeto the continued growth of membrane technology for the treatment of drinking water bothnationally and in Colorado. A multi-party workgroup was formed to advise the ColoradoGovernment on developing an environmentally and economically effective concentratedisposal policy to assure membrane treatment technologies remain a viable option inColorado. Over a one year period the workgroup studied this issue and developed a setof consensus findings. In summary, the findings of this group were:traditional disposal methods are of limited suitability for Colorado;while expensive, membrane processes using zero liquid discharge (ZLD)technologies can be cost competitive with alternative treatment trains, not usingmembranes, when the need to treat multiple contaminants exists, and if the valueof recovered water is included in the estimate; and,funding should be provided for demonstration pilot project of ZLD technology.