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What Is Reverse Osmosis Desalination?
The groundwater from the seawater wells is treated at the Kermit H. Lewin Reverse Osmosis Facility. We use a process called reverse osmosis (RO) to desalinate the water.
The seawater first enters cartridge filters to remove particulate matter. From the filters, the water is pressurized to approximately 1,000 pounds per square inch. The high pressure forces some of the water in through the RO membranes and is commonly referred to as product; the remainder of water is rejected as brine and disposed in an underground injection well.
The product flows into a degasifier and clear well, where hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide are removed. Next, sodium hydroxide and a corrosion inhibitor are added to raise the pH and provide corrosion control. In the final treatment stage, the permeate is disinfected with chloramines and transferred to the storage tank for distribution.