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The state-of-the-art reverse osmosis efficiency portion of the Chino Desalter Phase 3 Expansion Project has been completed and some 100 local water leaders and officials recent celebrated with a ribbon-cutting event.
Underway since 2008 the Chino Desalter’s treatment capacity will eventually increase from 10 million gallons per day (MGD) to 20.5 MGD after its early 2017 completion. The $144 million expansion project will offer an additional local and dependable source for the region.
The reverse osmosis efficiency process increases water recovery from 80 to 95 percent, and decreases brine waste by nearly 70 percent. The process employs a pellet softening technology that removes calcium and silica from the plant’s brine, allowing subsequent treatment of the softened water through a secondary reverse osmosis process.
“A local, secure water source is one of our top priorities, and this regional partnership on the Chino Desalter showcases our commitment to water supply reliability,” said John Rossi, general manager of Western Municipal Water District, the lead agency for the project.
Desalters use reverse osmosis technology to remove salts and other matter from water before it is used for drinking water. The process works by pumping groundwater out of the aquifer, a layer of rock and sediment deep under the ground. It is then treated through a process
called reverse osmosis, which forces water across a membrane at high pressure., whereby the membrane traps salt and other impurities and allows only clean water to come through.
Curtis Paxton, general manager and CEO of the Chino Desalter Authority, echoed Rossi’s comment and praised the reverse osmosis project saying, “This efficiency enhancement will enable capacity at the Chino Desalter II to be increased by an additional 2.2 MGD with the same amount of raw water input.”
The expansion project is currently a work-in-progress. The multi-year, multi-agency and multi-million- dollar undertaking is targeted to increase locally sourced water for the region. The project has raised more than $77 million in grant funding to support its efforts.
“Sound planning and appropriate investment in our local infrastructure have led to this long-term water reliability solution that will benefit our region for years to come,” said Inland Empire Utilities Agency’s General Manager Joe Grind staff.
Portions of the Chino Desalter are still in progress. Expanding the raw water well fields, installing a raw water pipeline and adding additional drinking water facilities are underway.
“This process improves groundwater quality because pumping and treating more groundwater accelerates restoration of local water basin quality and provides an outstanding quality of treated water as an additional local source of water for use in our region,” explained Jurupa
Community Services District’s General Manager Todd Corbin “Water can also be stored in the ground and used during drier times or emergency situations.”
Located in Jurupa Valley, the Chino Desalter will benefit multiple agencies including Western Municipal Water District, Inland Empire Utilities Agency, Jurupa Community Services District, the cities of Chino, Chino Hills, Ontario and Norco, as well as the Santa Ana River Water Company. All of these agencies are members of the Chino Basin Desalter Authority, a joint powers authority overseeing the expansion and operation of the desalter project.
