Brackish Groundwater Desalination Projects in Texas: The El Paso and San Antonio Strategies

Water in the arid southwest United States is becoming scarcer and with populations continuing to grow, more marginal aquifers will need to be tapped. The State of Texas has a tremendous resource in brackish groundwater that can be found throughout the state, including West Texas, North-Central Texas, Central Texas, and the Southern Coastal region. Brackish water has total dissolved solids (TDS) greater than 1,000 milligrams per liter (mg/l) and is becoming an attractive resource to a number of communities throughout the state. This presentation provides an overview of the groundwater management strategies for the Cities of San Antonio and El Paso with a summary of the use of brackish groundwater, associated desalination operations, and the disposal of concentrate.