Direct Utilization of Waste Waters
ROBERT C. MERZ
Associate Professor of Civil Engineering
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California
The impetus for much early use of waste water has, in many cases,
been born of necessity. Engineering ingenuity has brought about many
present-day practical demonstrations of the successful utilization of
waste waters. As information regarding these practical demonstrations
becomes better available, the re-use of waste waters is certain to be
accelerated.
It was our good fortune to be selected by the California State Water
Pollution Control Board to investigate and report on current practice.
To locate water reclamation projects of interest and importance, a survey
of state agencies was made. The information provided by the survey
formed the basis for selection of key projects to be personally visited.
It was soon apparent that all projects visited would fit into one of the
following four classifications: industrial use, agricultural use, recreational
use, or ground water injection.
Since this is an Industrial Waste Conference, the direct utilization
of waste waters by industry, particularly those in the west and southwest, will be discussed first. However, it is felt certain that typical
efforts in the other categories will be not without interest.
The mining, metallurgical and allied industries, located in the arid
regions of the United States, have pioneered in the reclamation of waste
waters because insufficient supplies of conventional surface and ground
waters have dictated the re-use of available waste sewage and industrial
effluents. Today, an added incentive for reclaiming waste waters is the
necessity to comply with state and federal stream and ground water
pollution control regulations.
As a result of the growth of engineering knowledge and the successful experiences obtained at older installations, planned water reclamation
need no longer be considered a novelty. Many large industrial plants
find that it is desirable to re-use low cost effluents because there are
significant savings.
There are more than 150 industries located in 38 states that are
reported to reclaim industrial wastes; and about 15 industries in nine
states that are reported to employ sewage effluent.
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