THE US-BUREAU-OF-RECLAMATIONS RESEARCH PROGRAMS IN WATER-TREATMENT AND DESALTING TECHNOLOGIES

This paper discusses a brief history of desalting research within the Department of the Interior, Office of Saline Water and the Office of W ater Research and Technology, as well as the current desalting researc h programs within the Bureau of Reclamation. An overview is provided o n the research that has been accomplished under Reclamation's Yuma Des alting Research Program over the past 12 years, as well as its Water T reatment Technology Program over the past 2 years. Information is also presented on specific on-going desalting research projects. These inc lude a report published on ''National Desalting and Water Treatment Ne eds Survey'', an RO pilot plant being tested to recover groundwater wh ile using the reject flow for a wetlands project; cost-shared studies on improved performance and cost of membranes, membrane fouling, bioci des, desalting cogeneration systems, nanofiltration systems, freeze de salination, an improved RO pumping and energy recovery system, a mobil e water treatment pilot plant, as well as a ''Desalting and Water Trea tment Membrane Manual'' that has been published on the latest state-of -the-art membranes.