MF/RO plant may be Santa Clarita salt solution

A microfiltration/reverse-osmosis (MF/RO) advanced wastewater treatment plant is one of several options being considered by the Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation District (SCVSD) in California, USA, to deal with excessive chloride levels in the wastewater it discharges to the Santa Clara River from its two treatment plants.

Other options include reduction of chlorine use by the introduction of ultraviolet disinfection and greater use of recycled wastewater for irrigation together with the Castaic Lake Water Agency, which provides recycled water to the Santa Clarita Valley.

The SCVSD provides wastewater management services for approximately 250,000 residents in the City of Santa Clarita and adjacent unincorporated areas. In May 2011 , the California Regional Water Quality Control Board for the Los Angeles Region issued the district with a Notice of Violation for both treatment plants, including potential fines for every day that the SCVSD is not in compliance with the legal chloride limit.

In January 2011, the SCVSD told its ratepayers that if it failed to comply, it would face very steep fines that could total hundreds of millions of dollars.

The district issued a Notice of Preparation for an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on 6 January 2012. It began holding public meetings about the EIR on 9 February 2012.

If the MF/RO option were to be adopted, it would also require:

  • A new 3.5 mile (5.6 km) 12 in (300 mm) pipeline for blending product water with treated wastewater prior to discharge to the Santa Clara River

  • Brine disposal either by deep-well injection or a new 37 mile (59 km) 10 in (250 mm) pipeline to an existing trunk sewer.