The West Basin desalter project: A viable alternative

Abstract

The Southern California area has historically experienced severe water shortages and it is expected to become worse in the future. Effects of the six-year drought, ending in 1992, coupled with the reduction in reliable imported supplies has forced water agencies to explore and develop new local water sources. One source that will be used to meet existing and future needs is brackish groundwater. Historic overdraft of the West Coast Basin has resulted in seawater intrusions in the coastal aquifers since the 1920s. While seawater barriers have successfully halted the intrusion, they have unfortunately trapped brackish waters inland, which has degraded large quantities of groundwater. The inland movement of this trapped portion of seawater has caused the water produced by many wells to become too saline for potable use. Extraction and treatment of this brackish groundwater represents a tremendous water source for the area. In 1991, West Basin Municipal Water District (WBMWD) initiated development of the West Basin Desalter Project (WBDP). The WBDP is the first attempt to mitigate the brackish groundwater problem in the West Coast Basin. The WBDP, completed in 1993, is a 1.5 mgd reverse osmosis (RO) groundwater desalter. Once the brackish groundwater is extracted and treated to potable levels, it is distributed to the City of Torrance for domestic use. The objectives of implementing the West Basin Desalter Project include: Improving local water resources, reducing dependence on imported water, remediating and utilizing the trapped saline water plume, encouraging utilization of groundwater rights, and encouraging inter-agency cooperation. The WBDP is a vital new source of potable water which highlights the ability to utilize existing resources and, through cooperation and team work, serves as a model for the continued improvement of local water resources.