May 17, 2024
West Basin is investing in its infrastructure to maximize the use of recycled water and reduce the reliance on imported water. The recently completed Juanita Millender-McDonald Carson Regional Water Recycling Plant (JMMCRWRP) Phase II Expansion Project showcases this effort and ingenuity within the water industry. Further highlighting the impact of this expansion, the project was selected for a Poster Session at the 39th Annual WateReuse Symposium in Denver, Colorado.
The “Elevating Industrial Reuse: A California Example of Water Resiliency” Poster Session illustrated West Basin’s expansive work to upgrade its microfiltration system to a nearly 6 million gallon per day Custom Engineered Microfiltration (CEMF) system and was widely received by the symposium attendees.
This custom CEMF system increases capacity and improves the reliability of recycled water deliveries to Marathon Petroleum’s Los Angeles Refinery (Marathon) in Carson. The substantial reconstruction of the plant’s microfiltration system can now fit six different membrane modules. This allows for more effective cleaning to restore permeability for increased production, which meets West Basin’s sustainability and reliability goals.
The updated CEMF system at JMMCRWRP provides multiple benefits:
- Full restoration and increase of microfiltration/reverse osmosis low-pressure boiler feed supply capacity.
- Improved system maintenance, operation, and water quality.
- Enhanced recycled water supply redundancy / increased capacity of the new system to meet demand and ensure no potable water will be used to supplement, as well as allow for redundancy if one unit is offline for maintenance.
- Construction of new onsite backup potable water connections for critical supplies.
- Installation of a backup power supply for key operating equipment.
- Obtaining cost-competitive pricing for future membrane replacements.
- Installation of a carbon dioxide storage and dosing system to further improve the existing nitrified water quality.
West Basin also presented the JMMCRWRP expansion at two conventions in 2023, highlighting the investments made by the District and its partners at Marathon, the State Water Resources Control Board, and Cal Water to further the message that every drop of recycled water saves potable water for drinking and other essential uses.
Kevin Cullen, West Basin engineer (left), and Melene Agakanian, engineer at project partner Hazen and Sawyer, stand next to West Basin’s exhibit at the Elevating Industrial Reuse: A California Example of Water Resiliency poster session, featured at the 39th Annual WateReuse Symposium.
