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<br /> > <br /> 00 <br /> In <br /> 00 <br /> .-j <br /> 0 <br /> --, <br />. '-' <br /> <br />6 aqua-chern,,, <br /> <br />GLENWOOD SPRINGS DESALINATION PROJECT SUMMARY <br /> <br />OVERVIEW: Aqua-Chem, a Milwaukee-based corporation and their joint venture partners have <br />just completed their initial feasibility assessment of building and operating a $45 MM privatized <br />desalination plant in South Canyon near Glenwood Springs, CO, The joint venture partners would <br />be Aqua-Chem, Inc" Jones Capital Corporation and a major salt producer. The proposed project <br />will make a significant contribution to Colorado River basin salinity control measures by achieving <br />an annual salt removal capacity equivalent to 25% of all federal salinity control programs in place, <br />As reported in the Salinity Control Forum's 1993 Review, economic losses due to river salinity are <br />estimated to be $750 MM per year throughout the seven-state Colorado River basin, <br /> <br />BENEFITS: <br /> <br />. Eliminates -70,000 tons of salt loading into the Colorado river per year <br /> <br />. No federal risk - Private entity develops, finances, builds and operates the plant. <br /> <br />. Measurable results - Federal dollars would pay ONL Y for actual salt removed, <br /> <br />Water quality savings for downstream users (-$2 MM for Clifton Water Dist. over 30 yr, <br /> <br />. Provides substantial tax revenues for Garfield County and other local governments, <br /> <br />. Facilitates continued development of a westward bike path <br /> <br />. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The highly saline Geothermal waters from the Glenwood Springs <br />aquifer would be diverted via a piping system to the desalination plant located in a non-urbanized <br />area, The underground pipeline would be routed along the 1-70 corridor approximately four miles <br />west to South Canyon, Preliminary discussions indicate a multi-purpose easement might help <br />facilitate implementation of a planned bike path west of the city limits, The plant site under primary <br />consideration is located on land in South Canyon owned by Glenwood Springs adjacent to their <br />landfilL The piped water would be processed in a combined membrane and thermal evaporator <br />plant, referred to in the industry as a "hybrid" system, which uses an energy efficient combination of <br />electrical and thermal power. (The plant will not produce power for the grid,) The recovered salt, <br />averaging nominally 200 tons per day, will be packaged and transported to commercial food grade <br />markets, The plant is environmentally sound as air emissions will meet strictest standards and <br />there is no wastewater discharge, Ninety nine per cent plus (99%+) of the Geothermal water will <br />be returned to the river as pure water, substantially cleaner than required for drinking water. <br /> <br />STATE & LOCAL SUPPORT: The Glenwood Springs City Council voted to encourage project <br />development and to negotiate a lease option on city-owned land in South Canyon, Because of the <br />favorable impact on river quality, the project is also supported by the Colorado River Water <br />Conservation District, the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the Clifton Water District, Club 20 <br />and the (seven-state) Salinity Control Forum, <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />CURRENT STATUS: The Salinity Control Forum unanimously passed a Resolution of support <br />for the project on October 27th and recommended the Bureau of Reclamation work with Aqua- <br />Chem to reach a satisfactory agreement. Subsequent project authorization and appropriation is <br />required by the Congress to validate the BOR Cooperative Agreement. This action will ensure a <br />revenue stream for salt removal services for thirty years beginning in 1997 and enable the private <br />development process to continue, December 1993 <br />