This project aims to identify and gather detailed information about U.S. Municipal desalination facilities that have been built since 2017 and will be built through 2025

The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation awarded a $235,400 Cooperative Agreement under the Water Desalination Research and Development program (CFDA 15.506) to Mickley & Associates LLC, a for-profit limited liability company, to identify and gather detailed information on 50-70 U.S. municipal desalination facilities built since 2017 or planned through 2025. The project will document the facilities' concentrate disposal practices, treatment processes, source water, operational changes, and challenges. It will also determine the status of facilities included in past surveys, as some older facilities are no longer operating. The goal is to gather and communicate information on the status, trends, and practices of municipal desalination in the U.S. to support consideration, planning, and refinement of new and existing desalination facilities.

An estimated 50 to 70 such facilities will be involved. The proposed survey will include concentrate disposal practices, a full characterization of the treatment process, source water, reason for treatment, changes in operation since startup, and operational challenges encountered. In addition to documenting newer facilities, the proposed project will also determine that status of facilities included in past surveys as several older facilities are no longer operating. The project will gather and communicate information on the status, trends, and practices of municipal desalination in the U.S. Information necessary in the consideration and planning of new desalination facilities as well as in the maintenance and refinement of practices in existing facilities.