California American Water's Test Slant Well Selected for National Research Project

PACIFIC GROVE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

American Water AWK has been awarded a research grant from the WateReuse Research Foundation to study the level of pathogen removal that occurs when ocean water is collected for desalination through sub-surface slant wells. The research will occur at the test slant well that is currently being constructed in Monterey County, California, by the company's subsidiary, California American Water.

The project is valued at approximately $330,400, with $200,000 being contributed by the WateReuse Research Foundation.

“This research is important to the entire water industry,” said American Water's Dr. Zia Bukhari. “The effects of drought and climate change have increased interest in desalination as a technology for water supply. The science produced by this study will help define guidelines for water treatment when ocean water is collected through the environmentally-preferred approach of subsurface intakes.”

Slant wells, a type of subsurface intake, are drilled beneath the beach, at a diagonal angle, and extend under the ocean floor. These wells draw ocean water through layers of sand, thereby avoiding the impacts to marine life associated with traditional open ocean intakes. Drawing water through layers of sand also provides a first step in the purification of ocean water. The sand acts as a filter that can lessen the amount of bacteria removal required before and after the desalination process. The American Water research project proposes to look specifically at the question of human pathogens (e.g., bacteria, viruses, parasites) to see what level of treatment is achieved through the slant wells and further define what steps will need to be taken in addition to reverse osmosis to ensure pathogens are removed.

“Slant wells are known for their benefits to marine life,” said California American Water Director of Engineering, Rich Svindland. “But, they may provide an additional benefit of pathogen reduction. If this proves to be the case, there could be significant savings in pre- and post-treatment costs for desalination projects that employ slant well technology. Because this question has yet to be studied, our findings will be extremely valuable for water resource managers and policy makers across the country.”

The test well being constructed by California American Water will help determine the feasibility of slant wells as a desal intake method on California's Central Coast. California American Water, which supplies water to the communities of the Monterey Peninsula, is pursuing desalination as part of a multi-sourced approach to solving the area's perennial water shortage and reducing pumping from the Carmel River. Slant wells are the favored technology of California permitting agencies including the State Water Resources Control Board and the California Coastal Commission. The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have issued guidelines for desalination projects within the sanctuary that direct any project proponent to pursue subsurface intakes where feasible. California American Water recently received a $1 million grant from the California Department of Water Resources to help fund the installation of the test well.

The research project team will consist of Bukhari as the principal investigator, with American Water's Dr. Patrick K. Jjemba and Elaine Howe of Trussell Technologies as co-principal investigators.

For more information on California American Water's proposed desalination project, please visit the project website at www.watersupplyproject.org.

About the WateReuse Research Foundation

The WateReuse Research Foundation is an educational, non-profit public benefit corporation that serves as a centralized organization for the water and wastewater community to advance the science of water reuse, recycling, reclamation and desalination. The Foundation sponsors applied research which addresses the full range of scientific, technical, policy and social science issues related to water reuse and desalination. For more information, visit www.watereuse.org.

About California American Water

California American Water, a subsidiary of American Water Works Company, Inc. AWK, provides high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 600,000 people.

About American Water

Founded in 1886, American Water Works Company is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs approximately 6,600 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 14 million people in more than 40 states, and parts of Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.