El Paso Water in Texas recently broke ground on an innovative Pure Water Center, Advanced Water Purification Facility that will provide an additional future water supply in the increasingly arid region.
“The bold water reuse project, estimated to cost $295 million, will transform treated wastewater effluent into fresh drinking water,” the utility said on its website. “What makes this innovative facility unique is that it will send purified drinking water straight into the water distribution system. The project marks the country’s most sophisticated development in water reuse yet.”
The plant will use a five-step treatment process to produce up to 10 million gallons of high-quality water per day, which will supplement the existing drinking water supply. The treatment steps are:
- Membrane filtration serves as the primary barrier for particles and microorganisms.
- Reverse osmosis removes salt and organic chemicals. It provides an additional barrier against microorganisms.
- Advanced oxidation, with ultraviolet light and hydrogen peroxide, serves as the third barrier that destroys any remaining organic chemicals.
- Granular activated carbon eliminates excess hydrogen peroxide and trace chemicals.
- Chlorine disinfection is the final barrier, ensuring clean water when it reaches home and business taps.
“This facility will be a game changer for El Paso and other arid communities across the globe facing drought challenges,” said Gilbert Trejo, vice president of operations and technical services. “The engineering and water community know and understand that these treatment processes produce a very high-quality water.”
Construction of the plant is scheduled to be completed in 2027, and commissioning and testing will run through 2028.