Readjusting priorities in undertaking environmental compliance of concentrate discharges

Abstract

While the key reason for planning and constructing a seawater desalination plant is to secure supplies of drinking water, concentrate discharge is the most universal environmental concern. It is also apparent that a complete lack of consistency in discharge designs, monitoring, assessments, and regulations exists. These inconsistencies are due to reasons related to the uniqueness of each plant and its location, including the sensitivity of a local environment, the ability of the receiving water body to readily assimilate a concentrate discharge, and the increased capacities of desalination plants with resultant increases in discharge volumes. Whether reliable baseline environmental data are available to model impacts is also important. Judgements will need to be made about whether published data are based on discharges from thermal desalination plants and/or plants co-located with power facilities. Such data may not be relevant to a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plant.