Department of the Interior officials have announced a $12.6 million investment to support the Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility (BGNDRF) in Alamogordo, New Mexico.
Owned and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation, BGNDRF is a facility used by government agencies, universities, and private sector companies for desalination research studies, pilot-scale projects and small demonstration projects.
Previous testing discovered contamination from per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in an evaporation pond at the facility in 2017 and two wells in 2019, hindering the facility’s ability to safely treat water.
Reclamation plans to use the funding from this announcement to construct an advanced water treatment facility and associated infrastructure at the facility in response to the PFAS contamination, which would allow for full use of BGNDRF by restoring access to all brackish wells and reducing the operational load on the other two wells. The new building will be designed to treat up to two wells at a time with possible future connections to the remaining wells at the facility.
“As we work to implement historic funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are looking to cutting-edge and innovative solutions to support Western communities in the face of record drought and climate change,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. “Investments in desalination, water treatment and reuse are critical as we work to safeguard community water supplies and expand access to clean, reliable drinking water for families, farmers and Tribes.”
BGNDRF provides state-of-the-art research facilities for researchers involved in desalination studies, pilot-scale projects and small demonstration projects. The facility uniquely focuses on brackish groundwater desalination; renewable energy integration; development of systems for rural and Tribal communities; concentrate management; and treating water produced from oil and gas production. It is the only major research facility in the U.S. dedicated solely to the desalination of brackish and impaired groundwaters.
The funding, provided through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is part of government efforts to enhance the resilience of the U.S. West to drought and climate change.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocates $8.3 billion for Reclamation water infrastructure projects over five years to advance drought resilience and expand access to clean water for families, farmers, and wildlife.
