Recycling Treated Municipal Wastewater for Industrial Water Use

Section 3
Inventory of Major WWTPs and Potential Industrial Reuse Demands
Craddock Consulting Engineers 3-31
In Association with CDM & James Crook
WWReuseTM1_Sec 3_final.doc
The Rainy River watershed is a heavily forested area, which like much of Minnesota,
values its water resources for recreational purposes. Voyageurs National Park and the
Boundary Waters Canoe Area are located here, as are several of the states most
famous walleye fisheries and prized trout streams. Basin planning has been ongoing
in this watershed to maintain protection of Minnesota’s water resources and
coordinate planning with Canada, into which the waterways flow, with nearly 60% of
the watershed in Canada’s borders. The Rainy River Basin Plan, (MPCA, 2004)
outlines various goals and activities to monitor, evaluate and implement projects
where improvements are needed. No specific watershed initiatives were noted that
would influence the use of reclaimed water in this area for industry. The driver will
most likely be insufficient ground water supplies, in areas lacking a higher quality
surface water supply. It is anticipated that surface water supplies could be of higher
quality than reclaimed water, but will be location and industry specific.
Red River of the North
Industrial Water Use
Major industries in the Red River of the North watershed are limited to three industry
types, as depicted in Figures 3.15a and 3.15b. As detailed in Table 3.15a, less than 2.2
mgd of ground water supplies were withdrawn for use by agricultural processing
facilities and sand and gravel washing businesses in 2004. The Otter Tail Power
Company in Thief River Falls has the largest industrial water demand, using over 50
mgd of surface water.
Table 3.15a. Industrial Water Use in the Red River of the North Watershed
2004 Water Use, mgd
Industry Category Ground Water Surface Water Total
Agricultural Processing 0.91 0.09 1.00
Power Generation 0.00 54.43 54.43
Sand & Gravel Washing 1.26 0.69 1.95
Total
Source: MDNR, 2004
2.17 55.21 57.38
WWTPs
The six WWTPs in the area (with a capacity greater than 1 mgd) have a combined
treatment capacity of nearly 20 mgd (Table 3.15b). In 2005, the combined discharge of
the plants was 12 mgd. Four of these plants are nearing capacity: Crookston, East
Grand Forks, Fergus Falls and Thief River Falls.