8/31/2007 

Alexandria, VA —

The WateReuse Foundation announces the release of two new research reports: Reclaimed Water Aquifer Storage and Recovery: Potential Changes in Water Quality and Reverse Osmosis Concentrate from Water Reuse Applications Using Forward Osmosis. The WateReuse Foundation’s research seeks to provide water professionals with tools and knowledge to meet their commitment to increasing the reliability and quality of the nation’s water supplies.

Reclaimed Water Aquifer Storage and Recovery: Potential Changes in Water Quality (#03-009-01)
Aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) is defined as the storage of water in a suitable aquifer through a well during times when water is available and recovery of the water from the same well during times when it is needed. This study investigated the variables of aquifer characteristics, storage time, travel distance, recharge water quality, and operational history. The data support many aquifer process assumptions, such as enhanced activity near the well.

Dewatering Reverse Osmosis Concentrate from Water Reuse Applications Using Forward Osmosis (#05-009-01)
Reverse Osmosis (RO) is an effective barrier in water production systems when removal of dissolved contaminants or salts is needed to achieve high finished water quality. A novel process of dewatering RO concentrate is forward osmosis (FO). FO is defined as the net movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane driven by a difference in osmotic pressure across the membrane.

The main advantage of using FO in water and wastewater treatment is the very low energy consumption rate since no external pressure is required while rejecting a wide range of contaminants with possibly a lower membrane-fouling propensity than pressure-driven membrane processes. This report summarizes initial feasibility data on the application of FO to minimize the concentrate from RO process. It also contributes to the knowledge base of novel draw solutions and high-performance FO membranes.

The WateReuse Foundation conducts applied research in all aspects of water reclamation, reuse, recycling, and desalination. The research addresses the full range of scientific, technical, policy, and social science issues related to these areas. The Foundation’s primary sources of funding are Subscribers and other funding partners, which include the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the California State Water Resources Control Board, the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and the California Department of Water Resources.

For more information on research results available from the WateReuse Foundation, visit http://www.watereuse.org/Foundation/researchreport.htm .

SOURCE: The WateReuse Foundation