Two articles appeared in the June 26, 2013 edition of The Fountain Hills Times concerning “salt in the district’s reclaimed water.” These articles presented some misconceptions and left readers with unanswered questions concerning the safety of the reclaimed water.
As many of you are aware, the Sanitary District supplies reclaimed water (effluent) to SunRidge Canyon, Eagle Mountain and FireRock Country Club golf courses as well as to Fountain Park and Lake, Golden Eagle Park and Desert Vista Park. This reclaimed water is tested regularly and must meet standards mandated by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. Meeting these standards ensures the safety of humans but does not ensure a healthy golf course or park turf.
Regardless of location, turf does not tolerate sodium very well. Golf course and park turf can be designed to accommodate higher concentrations of sodium by increasing the drainage under the root zone of the turf. This allows the buildup of sodium to be flushed away from the roots, minimizing damage to the turf. This flushing usually occurs when it rains. Unfortunately, with our current drought conditions, flushing by rain just isn’t happening.
The alternative to using reclaimed water is potable (drinking) water. However, using potable water is cost prohibitive and is not environmentally friendly.
Most of the potable water we receive in our homes comes from the Colorado River. This water is typically higher in sodium content than the local well water. When the household water enters the sewer system, sodium is discharged from the water (after the effects of softening), food products and human waste. Most homeowners who have water softeners use sodium-based water softener salt. An alternative potassium-based product is available at a higher cost. The advantage to the golf courses is that not only does potassium-based salt eliminate the sodium, but potassium, which is a nutrient, is beneficial to the turf. However, not everyone is willing to pay more for the potassium-based product.
Sodium can be removed from the wastewater through a process called reverse osmosis. The cost for district residents would be in the neighborhood of $10 million. This would require a tax increase, which I know most of you are less than enthusiastic about.
However, a far greater road block than the initial cost exists in utilizing reverse osmosis. This process would produce approximately 600,000 gallons of a rather odorous brine solution each day. This brine must be disposed of somewhere.
One solution to this problem is to find a large plot of vacant land on which the brine can be evaporated. Unfortunately, no such land is available in Fountain Hills. Another solution would be to transport it to another facility for disposal. Once again, no such facility exists. Brine crystallizers are available but are very energy intensive and produce unpleasant odors.
The problem with sodium in reclaimed water is not just a Fountain Hills problem. It is at the very least an Arizona problem. The Sanitary District supports a voluntary program of substituting potassium-based water softener salt for one that is sodium based.
However, because it is voluntary, it is unlikely that the program will work. The Arizona State Legislature might consider a bill to ban sodium-based water softener salt if enough cities and towns supported such a measure. However, until that time, reclaimed water purveyors and users must deal with “salt.”
