Techno-economic assessment of distributed wellhead RO water treatment for nitrate removal and salinity reduction: A field study in small disadvantaged communities

IF 12.4 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL

Water Research Pub Date : 2025-03-09 DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2025.123462

Yoram Cohen , Maria Soto , Nora Marki , Yakubu A. Jarma , Madelyn Glickfeld , Mitchell Rogers , Kenny Yip , Phoebe Strauss , Christian Aguilar , Bilal Khan , Prakash Rao , Thomas Hendrickson

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Techno-economic analysis of distributed wellhead water treatment and desalination (DWTD) systems was carried out based on a three-year field study in three small, disadvantaged communities (DACs) to evaluate the reliability and affordability of upgrading their impaired well water. The local water supplies of the three study DACs, located in Salinas Valley, California, were contaminated with nitrate at levels (∼ 12–87 mg/L

{NO}_{3}^{-} - N

) above the California maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 mg/L

{NO}_{3}^{-} - N

, and had elevated water salinity (∼600–1,600 mg/L total dissolved solids(TDS)) above its secondary MCL (SMCL) of 500 mg/L TDS. Well water nitrate removal and salinity reduction were accomplished via reverse osmosis (RO) based DWTD systems that operated autonomously, supported by remote monitoring and supervisory cyberinfrastructure. Reliable DWTD operation provided treated water quality, with respect to nitrate and salinity, in the range of 0.5–6.3 mg/L

{NO}_{3}^{-} - N

and 57–161 mg/L TDS, respectively, which were well below the respective MCL and SMCL. The levelized cost of water treatment was in the range of ∼$2/m³- $2.9/m³ which aligns with typical residential water costs in California and in the study region, and monthly residential water costs ($39-$74/residential unit/month) were also within the range in California. The study showcased the DWTD approach as a viable and potentially scalable solution for upgrading impaired local potable water supply of communities lacking centralized water delivery infrastructure. However, streamlined permitting processes and standardized regulatory frameworks are critical to promoting wider adoption and maximizing the socio-economic benefits of the DWT approach. Moreover, DACs are likely to require government subsidies in order to cover the CapEx of DWTD systems in addition to upgrade of site infrastructure.

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分布式井口反渗透水去除硝酸盐和降低盐度的技术经济评价：小型弱势社区的实地研究

对分布式井口水处理和海水淡化（DWTD）系统进行了技术经济分析，基于对三个小型弱势社区（DACs）为期两年的实地研究，以评估改善其受损井水的可靠性和可负担性。三个研究dac的当地供水位于加利福尼亚州萨利纳斯山谷，被硝酸盐污染的水平（~ 12-87 mg/L NO3−−N）高于加利福尼亚州最大污染物水平（10 mg/L NO3−−N），并且水的盐度（~ 600-1,600 mg/L总溶解固体（TDS））高于其次级MCL （500 mg/L TDS）。井水的硝酸盐去除和盐度降低是通过基于反渗透（RO）的DWTD系统完成的，该系统在远程监控和监督网络基础设施的支持下自主运行。可靠的DWTD操作提供了处理后的水质，硝酸盐和盐度分别在0.5-6.3 NO3−−N和57-161 mg/L TDS范围内，远低于各自的MCL和SMCL。水处理的平准化成本在2美元/立方米至2.9美元/立方米之间，这与加州和研究区域的典型住宅用水成本一致，而每月的住宅用水成本（39美元至74美元/住宅单位/月）也在加州的范围内。该研究表明，对于缺乏集中供水基础设施的社区，DWTD方法是一种可行且具有可扩展性的解决方案，可以改善当地受损的饮用水供应。然而，简化的许可程序和标准化的监管框架对于促进DWT方法的更广泛采用和最大限度地发挥其社会经济效益至关重要。此外，dac可能需要政府补贴，以支付DWTD系统的资本支出，以及站点基础设施的升级。

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来源期刊

Water Research 环境科学-工程：环境

CiteScore

20.80

自引率

9.40%

发文量

1307

审稿时长

38 days

期刊介绍： Water Research, along with its open access companion journal Water Research X, serves as a platform for publishing original research papers covering various aspects of the science and technology related to the anthropogenic water cycle, water quality, and its management worldwide. The audience targeted by the journal comprises biologists, chemical engineers, chemists, civil engineers, environmental engineers, limnologists, and microbiologists. The scope of the journal include: •Treatment processes for water and wastewaters (municipal, agricultural, industrial, and on-site treatment), including resource recovery and residuals management; •Urban hydrology including sewer systems, stormwater management, and green infrastructure; •Drinking water treatment and distribution; •Potable and non-potable water reuse; •Sanitation, public health, and risk assessment; •Anaerobic digestion, solid and hazardous waste management, including source characterization and the effects and control of leachates and gaseous emissions; •Contaminants (chemical, microbial, anthropogenic particles such as nanoparticles or microplastics) and related water quality sensing, monitoring, fate, and assessment; •Anthropogenic impacts on inland, tidal, coastal and urban waters, focusing on surface and ground waters, and point and non-point sources of pollution; •Environmental restoration, linked to surface water, groundwater and groundwater remediation; •Analysis of the interfaces between sediments and water, and between water and atmosphere, focusing specifically on anthropogenic impacts; •Mathematical modelling, systems analysis, machine learning, and beneficial use of big data related to the anthropogenic water cycle; •Socio-economic, policy, and regulations studies.