Nine research projects and pilot studies will share US$1.4 million in funding under a desalination and water purification research programme set up by the US Bureau of Reclamation.
Six laboratory-scale research projects each to assess the feasibility of a process and three pilot test projects to demonstrate larger scale viability of different technologies technologies will receive funding totalling US$ 1.4 million.
Four laboratory studies will get first-year funding with a $150,000 cap on each project. They are listed below.
University of Houston (Texas) –
Advanced pretreatment for nanofiltration of brackish surface water: fouling control and water quality improvements – US$ 150,000
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Development of photovoltaic electrodialysis desal system – US$ 99,992
University of Texas at San Antonio
Activated sludge aeration waste heat for membrane evaporation of desal brine concentrate – US$ 85,587
West Basin MWD (California)
Subsurface intake study for ocean water desal – US$150,000
Pilot-scale projects selected for funding are listed here.
Eastern Municipal Water District (California)
Pilot scale groundwater desalter brine concentrator study – US$ 131,057
New Mexico State University
Demonstration of monovalent selective ion exchange membranes for desal and reuse enhancement – US$199,944
San Diego County Water Authority (California)
Pilot testing program for the proposed Camp Pendleton seawater desal project – US$200,000
If selected pilot projects complete a sufficient amount of work in the first year, they may receive additional funding for a second year. The following two pilot studies, announced in 2013, will receive funding for their second year of testing:
City of Corpus Christi (Texas)
City of Corpus Christi desal pilot study – US$ 200,000
University of Arizona
Reverse osmosis concentrate management through halophyte farming – US$186,328