The Chemical Engineering Department, through the Water Resources Research Institute and with the cooperation of the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Division has designed, constructed and is operating a water treatment system for improving small community drinking water supplies to meet existing regulations. The technology utilized has been primarily developed under the auspices of the Office of Water Research and Technology of the Department of Interior.

General desalination of water can proceed by one of two methods phase transition or solute separation. The latter methods are being used in the demonstration project and in the accompanying laboratory studies. The specific project objectives are:

1. to develop operating conditions and information for an engineering evaluation of the two primary treating methods i.e., reverse osmosis and electrodialysis, and their associated secondary support processes,
2. to develop specific cost data;
3. to extend available water treatment technology in the area of single solute removal from drinking water containing a large number of ionic and dissolved species;
4. to provide the necessary material for assimulation of this unit or comparable equipment into the educational activities of water supply and water treating, specifically for engineering and technology students and operator training,
5. to evaluate brine disposal methods in compliance with New Mexico groundwater regulations.

This report covers the selection, design construction and operating procedures for the demonstration unit. The operating experiences at the selected communities will be documented as supplements.

Project No. 3109-161