Groundwater Nitrate Removal for Municipal Drinking Water Application

Overview

A Rural Water District (RWD), located in central Oklahoma, experiences nitrate-N levels exceeding the EPA limit of 10 mg/L. In 2010, the RWD completed an ion-exchange pilot for nitrate removal. To accommodate the generated brine waste, it was estimated that up to one and a half acres would be required to construct a two-cell synthetic lined lagoon, rendering the project impractical.

To provide a viable treatment solution, WesTech piloted a novel electro-biological process in 2021, which avoided problematic brine generation. The system destroyed nitrate instead of concentrating it, releasing harmless nitrogen gas in the process.

Highlights

• Advanced electro-biological treatment
• Shorter retention times and smaller bioreactors
• Significantly lowered chemical dosage
• No concentrated brine waste production
• 97% water recovery
• Minimal biosolids generation
• <0.3 mg/L average effluent nitrate-N

Results