2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
6/08/2017 | 2:30 PM - 2:45 PM | Emerging Threats to Aquatic Ecosystems from Desalinated Brackish Groundwater | 301B
Emerging Threats to Aquatic Ecosystems from Desalinated Brackish Groundwater
As the demand for fresh water sources in Texas continues to grow in order to provide communities with reliable drinking water, the efforts to maintain adequate drinking water supply are tapping previously under-utilized sources such as brackish groundwater. Treating brackish groundwater through reverse osmosis to provide drinking water is one such potential source gaining traction, particularly in the western part of the state. As the use of brackish groundwater as a drinking water source continues to grow, so do the concerns with disposing of the reverse osmosis concentrate from these treatment systems. Many rivers in west Texas are already challenged by naturally-occurring salts and other constituents of concern making the addition of these highly concentrated waste streams potentially more problematic for the ecology of these rivers and streams, especially where they discharge into designated critical habitat of federally-endangered species. This presentation will explore the routes of disposal available for these concentrated wastewaters and examine the potential risks they may pose on aquatic environments which already face many challenges typical in the arid west.
- C36 Water Resource Management
- S16 Understanding and mitigating change in freshwater ecosystem services
- S05 Social-Ecological Freshwater Systems
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Presenters/Authors
Anne Rogers
(), Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, anne.rogers@tpwd.texas.gov;
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -
Erik Orsak
(), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, erik_orsak@fws.gov;
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -