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Desalination Issues in the United States

Desalination Issues in the United States. California Colloquium on Water April 13, 2004. M. Kevin Price Manager, Water Treatment Engineering and Research Group Bureau of Reclamation Denver, Colorado. Outline. Introduction to Desal Research Roadmap Current Activities Next Steps

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Desalination Issues in the United States

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  1. Desalination Issuesin the United States California Colloquium on Water April 13, 2004 M. Kevin Price Manager, Water Treatment Engineering and Research Group Bureau of Reclamation Denver, Colorado

  2. Outline • Introduction to Desal • Research Roadmap • Current Activities • Next Steps • Available Information

  3. Primary Issues for Water Resources 1990 Population – 76 million 2000 Population – 91 million 1902 Population – 11 million Source: U.S. Census Bureau

  4. The Approaching Water Supply Problem in the 17 Western States Based on USGS Estimated Use of Water in the US 1995

  5. Primary Issues for Water Resources • Growth of population and water demand • Drought and decadal climate patterns • Shifting and more complex demand • Water supply (quantity & quality) • Environmental impacts • Global climate change impacts

  6. Hierarchy of the Nation’s Water Solution Toolbox Solutions to the Nation's Water Supply Issues Solutions to the Nation's Water Supply Issues Demand Mitigation Demand Mitigation Supply Enhancement Supply Enhancement Pricing Pricing Conservation activities Conservation activities Management approaches Management approaches Technology approaches Technology approaches Water transfers Water transfers Upgrade impaired waters Upgrade impaired waters Dam and diversion Dam and diversion Improve reuse rates Improve reuse rates

  7. National Research Council on Technology and Water Supply “As scarcity continues to intensify, the search for new supplies can be enhanced by 1) the development of new supply-enhancing technology and 2) reducing the costs of some existing technologies.” NRC: Envisioning the Agenda for Water Resources Research in the 21st Century. June 2001

  8. Desalination as a Solution Saline Aquifers

  9. Benefits of Desalination • Increased supply from non-traditional sources • Drought proofing • Local control • Regional redundancy, security • High quality supply • Reduced costs, improved technology • Avoid competition for limited water sources (agricultural, urban, environmental)

  10. Water Resources May be Augmented by New Technology “The single most frequent failure in the history of forecasting has been grossly underestimating the impact of technologies” Peter Schwartz from The Art of the Long View

  11. Potential Uses for Desalination Technologies • Major Metropolitan Areas • Industries Requiring Pure Water • Rural and Native American Drinking Water • Treatment of Produced Water from Coal Bed Methane Production • With significantly lower costs - Agriculture

  12. Desalination Costs Sea Water Desal $650 - 1000/ac-ft Brackish Desal* $325 - 650/ac-ft • Water rental/purchase in NM $350/ac-ft • MWD rate ca. $500/ac-ft • Conservation $350 - 500/ac-ft • Water Recycling $400 - 800/ac-ft • Bottled Water (based on $1/liter) $1,200,000/ac-ft * Very dependent on chemical make up of brackish water

  13. Worldwide Capacity of MSF and RO from Dave Furukawa, 2003

  14. MSF in Saudi Arabia from The ABCs of Desalting, available from IDA

  15. MSF Unit in Saudi Arabia from The ABCs of Desalting, available from IDA

  16. Seawater RO in Spain

  17. Seawater RO in Tampa Bay, Florida

  18. Seawater RO in Tampa Bay, Florida

  19. 6.7 mgd 2.6 mgd 15.8 mgd 10.5 mgd 28.8 mgd 25 mgd 36 mgd 36 mgd 37.5 mgd Decline in Seawater Desalination CostsRepresents Evolution in Technology and Facility Size from Dave Furukawa, 2003

  20. SWRO Improvements 10.00 9.00 Cost 8.00 Productivity Reciprocal Salt Passage 7.00 Membrane Life Energy Recovery 6.00 Unit Improvement (1980 base) 5.00 4.00 3.00 2.00 1.00 0.00 1990 2005 1980 1985 1995 2000 2010 Year from Dave Furukawa, 2003

  21. Improvement in Energy Consumption(SWRO) from Dave Furukawa, 2003

  22. Water Production from Seawater per Unit Energy VARI-ROTM, USBR report no. 33

  23. NUMBER OF DESALTING PLANTS BY STATE 0 1-5 6-19 20-99 > 100

  24. Plants Proposed Around the U.S. Brackish Seawater U.S. Desalination Coalition, 2003

  25. Opportunities to Further Reduce Costs • Low to No Further Cost Reduction Potential • Creative Financing • Co-location with existing power plants • Some opportunity from regionalization • Need to encourage utilities to join together • Highest Potential • Better technology through R&D and Technology Transfer which can also help to enhance competition in industry

  26. Desalination Research Roadmap • Partnership between Reclamation and Sandia National Labs • www.usbr.gov/pmts/water/desal.html • Executive Committee Resource economist, public health expert, head of large utility, political scientist, university professors, desalination consultants • National Research Council Review

  27. APPENDIX 1: Figure 1: Needs-based Water Roadmap Process Outline Figure 1B: Needs-based Water Roadmap Process PROGRAM DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT DEFINING AND PRIORITIZING PROBLEMS TO BE ADDRESSED II. NEEDS (with defined goals and metrics) III. CONTEXT; EXTERNALITIES A. Current B. Future state Figure 1A: Needs-based Water Roadmap Process IV. CHARACTERIZE NEEDS -Interplay of: • III. CONTEXT • A. Current IV. CHARACTERIZE NEEDS DOMAIN I. VISION 2020 • Trends, scenarios • VII. DEFINE POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS/COMPETENCIES AND GAPS • A. CURRENT (KNOWN) • 1. Technologies (current and evolving) • 2. Conservation • 3. Distribution • 4. Institutional change • 5. Etc. • 6. Combinations of technologies / • approaches • B. EVOLVING / UNKNOWN VIII. EVALUATE • Politics • II. NEEDS • (with defined goals and metrics I. VISION 2020 • Interplay of: • Criteria: • Constituency • Policy • Quality; health/environ. Issues; Security (safe) V. DEFINE PROBLEMS / VALUE PROPOSITIONS TO BE ADDRESSED Constraints Context Stakeholders Trade offs/decisions • Sustainability VI. PRIORITIZE PROBLEMS / VALUE PROPOSITIONS • Availability: quantity, when and where needed (adequate) • Geographic/Demographic • Desalination (different types) • Program domain IX. SELECT RESEARCH TARGETS ·Applied/development ·Adapt/dissemination ·Exploratory IX. SELECT RESEARCH TARGETS ·Applied/development ·Adapt/dissemination ·Exploratory • Affordability VII. DEFINE POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS / COMPETENCIES AND GAPS A. CURRENT (KNOWN) B. EVOLVING / UNKNOWN VIII. EVALUATE • Thermal V. DEFINE PROBLEMS/VALUE PROPOSITIONS • Trade-offs; cost-benefit in terms of impact on needs • Other • Portfolio mix X. ROADMAPPING / PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT (ongoing, includes scenario planning and responding to experience and change) Iterate back as roadmap and as implement program X. ROADMAPPING / PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT (ongoing, includes scenario planning and responding to experience and change) Iterate back as roadmap and as implement program VI. PRIORITIZE PROBLEMS ·Consequences, now and in the future ·Cross-impact (multiplier, cascading effects) XI. DESIGN , IMPLEMENT PROGRAM ·Costs ·Timing ·Regular, ongoing review; monitoring of operating environment • Stage of development, life-cycle, experience curves, prospects at varying levels of investment, technical feasibility, weaknesses XI. DESIGN, IMPLEMENT PROGRAM ·Costs ·Timing ·Regular, ongoing review; monitoring of operating environment • Remaining gaps • Water type (source) • Stakeholders (how needed, interest) • other GEOGRAPHIC/ DEMOGRAPHIC (region, urban vs. rural; arid, vs. non-arid) CONSTITUENCY (size, water use) • WATER TYPE • Inland • Coastal • Re-use Architecture of the Roadmap Process VISION 2020 DEVELOP ALTERNATIVE FUTURE COST SCENARIOS DEFINE HIGH LEVEL NEEDS - Geographic Case Studies DEFINE CRITICAL OBJECTIVES - Define High-Level Objectives - Identify Specific Performance Metrics & Targets IDENTIFY TECHNOLOGY AREAS AND SPECIFIC RESEARCH NEEDS - Basic Science and Technology Areas - Specific R&D Needs • Capabilities / competencies • Other constraints • B. Future state

  28. Roadmap Development - Vision By 2020, desalination and water purification technologies will contribute significantly to ensuring a safe, sustainable, affordable, and adequate water supply for the Unites States. Safe: • Meet drinking water standards • Meet agriculture and industry standards • Enhance water security Sustainable: • Meet today’s need without compromising our future supplies Affordable: • Provide future water at a cost comparable to today’s Adequate: • Assure local and regional availability through periods of episodic shortages (droughts)

  29. Coastal Urban Communities Current Challenges • 54 % of the US population lives in coastal regions and this percentage is growing; therefore, demand must be managed. • Tampa Bay – manage aquifer replenishment and pressure on environment • Southern California – reduce reliance on Colorado River Water • Coastal Texas – manage subsidence and balance water demands • Desalination Needs • Reduce the cost of desalting seawater • Maintain biologic stability of reclaimed water • Reduce reliance on surface water to protect estuaries and coastal regions • Decrease reliance on remote sources of water

  30. Inland Urban Areas Current Challenges • Sustainability is questionable • Provide affordable water and address the need for reclamation and reuse • Assure adequate supplies through increased recycling, upgrading impaired water, mitigating demand, and purchasing water rights • Desalination Needs • Reduce the cost and enable the disposal of concentrate • Reduce the cost for desalination processes • Develop beneficial uses for concentrate • Manage salt on a regional basis Drought Map

  31. Rural Inland Communities Current Challenges • Provide adequate, affordable supplies of water for agriculture and municipal consumers while ensuring that aquatic environments are protected. • Desalination Needs • Reduce capital and operating costs • Protect water quality • Characterize the saline aquifers Saline Aquifers

  32. Oil, Gas and Coal Basins Current Challenges • Opportunity to convert produced water disposal cost to new water supply • Coal-bed methane production techniques are unsuited to produced water injection • Desalination Need • Develop cost effective pretreatment technologies for small hydrocarbon residuals • Facilitate cost effective disposal of concentrate • Assure water quality standards are met

  33. The Mid Atlantic Current Challenges • Protect water supply for public health and sanitation from environmental hazards • Keep surface water flowing in streams, lakes, estuaries and bays • Prevent groundwater overdraft • Likely Derivative Benefits from Desalination Advances • Assure safety of water in heavily-urbanized areas through on-demand removal technologies for emerging contaminants • Develop true indicators of contaminants

  34. Critical Objectives Driven by the Need to Keep Water Affordable • Near-term Critical Objectives • Reduce capital cost by 20% • Increase energy efficiency by 20% • Reduce operating costs by 20% • Reduce cost of ZLD by 20% • Long-term Critical Objectives • Reduce capital cost by 80% • Increase energy efficiency by 80% • Reduce operating costs by 80% • Reduce cost of ZLD by 80%

  35. Critical Objectives Driven by the Need to Ensure Adequate Supplies/Sustainability • Near-term Critical Objectives • Maintain stability of reclaimed waters over time • Decrease cost of reclaimed waters by 25% • Beneficial use: 5% of concentrate • Reduce average reject to 15% for non-surface water applications • Long-term Critical Objectives • Decrease cost of reclaimed waters by 80% • Beneficial use: 15% of concentrate • Reduce average reject to 5% for non-surface water applications

  36. Six Technology Areas • Membrane Technologies • Thermal Technologies • Recycling/Reuse Technologies • Concentrate Management Technologies • Alternative Technologies • Cross Cutting Technologies

  37. National Need: Keep Water Affordable NEAR-TERM • Near-term Critical Objectives • Reduce capital cost by 20% • Increase energy efficiency by 20% • Reduce operating costs by 20% • Reduce cost of ZLD by 20% • Thermal Technologies • Forward osmosis • Clathrate sequestration • Hybrid – membrane and thermal • Membrane Technologies • Basic research to improve permeability • Minimize resistance • Model/test non-spiral configurations • Develop new methods of reducing/recovering energy • Integrate membrane and membrane system designs • Reuse/Reclamation Technologies • Pretreatment • Filtration • Biological coating (disinfectant) • Research to enable prediction of migration and recovery through aquifers • Novel Technologies • Capacitive desal • Nanotubes or large surface areas • Current swing sorption • Mid/long-term Critical Objectives • Reduce capital cost by 80% • Increase energy efficiency by 80% • Reduce operating costs by 80% • Reduce cost of ZLD by 80% MID/LONG-TERM • Concentrate Management Technologies • Create a “super concentrate” technology – complete solidification of residuals and 100% recapture of water • Cross-cutting: Develop methods of immobilizing/sequestering the concentrate stream • Cross-cutting: Develop beneficial uses for the concentrate stream to improve the economics of disposal for ZLD processes. • Reuse/Reclamation Technologies • Enhanced membrane bioreactor technology • Document the lifecycle economics of water reuse for various applications • Novel Technologies • Magnetics • Nanotechnology (active/smart membranes) Cost of Desalinated Water Decreases

  38. Research & Demonstration • Create options • Share risk of R&D investment • Show how new technologies and practices may be more sustainable • Provide information on cost-effectiveness, reliability • Create and share knowledge • Create confidence in technologies & science

  39. Current Activities – Inland Brackish Water Photovoltaic/Reverse Osmosis Tularosa Basin Facility

  40. Current Activities – Inland Brackish Water Enhanced Evaporation - Concentrate Disposal Dewvaporation

  41. Current Activities – Recycling and Reuse Zenon Membrane Bioreactor Mitsubishi Membrane Bioreactor

  42. Current Activities – Seawater Desalination Nano/Nanofiltration High Efficiency High Pressure Pump

  43. Current Activities – Seawater Desalination MF/UF Pretreatment for Reverse Osmosis Modeling of Seawater Concentrate

  44. Current Activities – Irrigation Return Flows Large-scale reverse osmosis Reverse osmosis treatment in the San Joaquin Valley

  45. Next Steps • Current solicitation for laboratory, pilot, and demonstration projects • In-house studies on ‘net new water’, water portfolio • Identify obstacles: physical, financial, institutional, regulatory • Tools • Continuation of Roadmapping activities • National Research Council proposal • Additional activities

  46. Next Steps • Desalination Clearinghouse • USGS study of brackish sources • Reauthorization of the Water Desalination Act of 1996 • World Bank, WHO, FAO, MEDRC

  47. Alcatraz Island: A Search for Sustainability • No fresh water on island • 1.4 Million visitors/year • 5300 people on an average summer day • 2-5k turned away • Sold out 10 days in advance • Special events (1-2/month) • 80 staff working daily

  48. Alcatraz Island: A Search for Sustainability • Fix cisterns and capture rainwater • Reuse • Desalination • Renewable energy

  49. Information Available from the Bureau of Reclamation Membrane Concentrate Disposal Manual WTCost – Water treatment cost estimation program sponsored by AMTA DesalNet- 50 years of full text desal literature database sold through AWWA Desalination Planner’s Handbook Program Homepage - www.usbr.gov/pmts/water/desal.html Newsletter - www.usbr.gov/pmts/water/wfw.html Reports - www.usbr.gov/pmts/water/reports.html

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