A Desalination Success Story

Texas Groundwater SummitAugust 29, 2012 - Austin, Texas

Ed Archuleta, P.E., President & CEO El Paso Water Utilities

El Paso, Texas Profile

�� Sixth largest city in Sixth largest city in TexasTexas�� Located in the Chihuahuan Located in the Chihuahuan

DesertDesert�� EPWU service area: 800,600 EPWU service area: 800,600

peoplepeoplepeoplepeople�� Over 300 days of sunshineOver 300 days of sunshine,,

7070°° average daily temperatureaverage daily temperature�� Low humidity and average Low humidity and average

rainfall of 9”-10” per year

Regional Water ResourcesRegional Water Resources

UNITED STATESUNITED STATESNEW MEXICONEW MEXICO

Hueco BolsonHueco Bolson

Elephant Butte DamElephant Butte Dam

MEXICOMEXICO

Ciudad JuárezCiudad Juárez

TEXATEXASS

Mesilla BolsonMesilla Bolson

West Texas West Texas AquifersAquifers

EL PASOEL PASO

Surface Water

Reclaimed Water

Conservation

Diversified Resources

50-Year Water Resource Management Plan adopted in 1991

Water

Groundwater Desalination Importation

Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination Plant

Opened in 2007 to deal with:Opened in 2007 to deal with:�� Drought Drought �� EEmergency situations mergency situations �� EEmergency situations mergency situations �� GrowthGrowth�� Brackish water intrusionBrackish water intrusion

Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination Plant

� Award winning plant� A model for other

water utilities � Research facility� Research facility� Toured by national

and international visitors

Desalination Plant Details

� Up to 27.5 MGD capacity� Raw water forced through membranes

to separate salts and contaminants � 5 skids� 5 skids� Usually runs at 1-2 skids � Operated at full capacity for the first

time in May 2012

H2O 0.0002m

Reverse Osmosis Membrane Compared to the Constituents

(Units of Microns)

NaCI 0.002m

Sugar 0.003m

Virus 0.1m

Bacteria 10m

Blend Wells 1,000 ppm

To Distribution System 700 ppm

Desalination Plant Water Quality

Supply Wells 2,500 ppm

Concentrate 12,000 ppm

Permeate

Concentrate Disposal

� 3 Injection Wells

� Surface Injection Facilities

� Concentrate Pipeline � Concentrate Pipeline (22 mi)

� Less costly and less environmental impact than evaporation

Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination Plant Production

1,400,000

1,600,000

1,800,000

2,000,000

Unprecedented Freeze & Reduction

of Surface Water

Th

ou

san

d G

all

on

s

Reduction ofSurface Water

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Jan-July

2012 Projected

Th

ou

san

d G

all

on

s

80

100

120

140

160

Mil

lio

n G

all

on

sWater Resources Used

May – June 2012

0

20

40

60

80

1-M

ay

2-M

ay

3-M

ay

4-M

ay

5-M

ay

6-M

ay

7-M

ay

8-M

ay

9-M

ay

10

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y

11

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12

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13

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15

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23

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1-J

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-Ju

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Desalination Plant Stored Pond Water Surface Water Groundwater

Capital Costs(21 Contracts)

Production Wells and Collectors

Plant and Near-Plant Pipes

Concentrate Disposal

Total Cost

$ 32 Million

$ 40 Million

$ 19 Million

$ 91 MillionTotal Cost $ 91 Million

DisposalProduction Wells

Plant

Congressional Appropriations (requires 45% local match) $26.0

Texas Water Development Board (interest free loan) $ 1.0

EPWU Bonds and Cash $60.7

Financing for Desalination Facilities by Source (Million)

Army’s Contribution (in kind) $ 3.3

TOTAL $91.0

$2.50

$3.00

$3.50

$4.00

$4.50

Cost ComparisonC

ost in

Dolla

rs P

er

1,0

00

Gallo

ns

$0.00

$0.50

$1.00

$1.50

$2.00

Gro

undw

ater

Surfa

ce W

ater

Des

alin

atio

n

Rec

laim

ed

Impor

tatio

n

Cost in

Dolla

rs P

er

1,0

00

Gallo

ns

Financial ImpactsPresent Value of Supply Portfolio from 2012 to 2060

No desalNo desal�� Increases water supply PV costs by $553 millionIncreases water supply PV costs by $553 million

No reuseNo reuseNo reuseNo reuse�� Increases water supply PV costs by Increases water supply PV costs by $603 $603 millionmillion

No No desal and no reusedesal and no reuse�� Increases water supply PV costs by Increases water supply PV costs by $967 $967 millionmillion

EPWU Triple Bottom Line

ENVIRONMENTAL (> $15.7M)

� Carbon footprint reduction ($15.77M)

� Energy savings 3.6M MWh

� Air quality (+)� Groundwater quality (+)� Surface water (+)� Carbon footprint of

piping (+)

SOCIAL (> $2.4M)

� Air quality related health risk reduction ($2.4M)

� Supply reliability (+)� Climate-insensitive

supply source (++)� Sustaining agricultural

communities (+)

FINANCIAL (967M)

� 74% cost saving to supply water to all EPWU customers

Summary

� A diversified water resource strategy is key� Desalination, reuse and conservation can

be effective management tools� Desalination costs have decreased

substantiallysubstantially� Desalination and reuse are much more

cost-efficient than importation

For More Information Contact

Ed Archuleta, P.E. President & CEOEl Paso Water UtilitiesEl Paso Water UtilitiesOffice: 915.594.5501

earchuleta@epwu.org