Solute Changes During Aquifer Storage Recovery Testing in a Limestone/Clastic Aquifer

Abstract

Aquifer storage recovery (ASR) was tested in the Santee Limestone/Black Mingo Aquifer near Charleston, South Carolina, to assess the feasibility for subsurface storage of treated drinking water. Water quality data obtained during two representative ASR tests were interpreted to show three things: (1) recovery efficiency of ASR in this geological setting; (2) possible changes in physical characteristics of the aquifer during ASR testing; and (3) water quality changes and potability of recovered water during short (one‐ and six‐day) storage durations in the predominantly carbonate aquifer. Recovery efficiency for both ASR tests reported here was 54%. Successive ASR tests increased aquifer permeability of the Santee Limestone/Black Mingo Aquifer. It is likely that aquifer permeability increased during short storage periods due to dissolution of carbonate minerals and amorphous silica in aquifer material by treated drinking water. Dissolution resulted in an estimated 0.3% increase in pore volume of the permeable zones. Ground water composition generally evolved from a sodium‐calcium bicarbonate water to a sodium chloride water during storage and recovery. After short duration, stored water can exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level (MCL) for chloride (250 mg/L). However, sulfate, fluoride, and tri‐halomethane concentrations remained below MCLs during storage and recovery.

Implications of Rate‐Limited Mass Transfer for Aquifer Storage and Recovery

“…The ideal ASR system would substitute subsurface storage for an aboveground water tank and recover 100% of the injectant as potable water. It is unlikely, however, that such a scenario is possible in aquifer systems (1) containing nonpotable pore fluids; (2) where regional ground water flow may cause migration of the fresh water bubble; or (3) where injected water is subject to degradation in quality by biogeochemical changes (e.g., Ma and Spalding 1996;Mirecki et al 1998;Parkhurst and Petkewich 2001;Gaus et al 2002;Petkewich et al 2004;Vanderzalm et al 2002;Herczeg et al 2004;Le Gal La Salle et al 2005). Although biological processes may be limited to the immediate vicinity of the wellbore, changes in water quality due to interaction with the rock matrix and native water can occur at great distances from the injection (Le Gal La Salle et al 2005).…”

“…ASR is a promising technology because it (1) reduces the need for standard treatment and production facilities; (2) minimizes the need for additional infrastructure such as aboveground storage tanks or reservoirs; (3) requires only minimal treatment of recovered water; and (4) is assumed not to degrade the native ground water quality (Mirecki et al 1998). The reason underlying the increasing interest in ASR is that it constitutes a sustainable, and often inexpensive, way to develop ground water resources, especially in ground water poor areas.…”

“…(3) requires only minimal treatment of recovered water; and (4) is assumed not to degrade the native ground water quality (Mirecki et al 1998). The reason underlying the increasing interest in ASR is that it constitutes a sustainable, and often inexpensive, way to develop ground water resources, especially in ground water poor areas.…”

Biotin- and Glycoprotein-Coated Microspheres as Surrogates for Studying Filtration Removal of Cryptosporidium parvum in a Granular Limestone Aquifer Medium

“…Many managed aquifer recharge (MAR) sites are also developed in limestone aquifers, e.g., in Australia and Mexico (25) and in the southeast United States (26). Thus, investigating C. parvum filtration in limestone aquifer medium has important implications for aquifer management and risk analysis of potable groundwater.…”

Recovery of Injected Freshwater from a Brackish Aquifer with a Multiwell System

“…Well injection is associated with a number of purification processes that may potentially take place. They include pathogen die-off (Schijven and Simunek 2002), dissolution of minerals (Appelo 1994;Mirecki et al 1998;Prommer and Stuyfzand 2005), ion exchange (Valocchi et al 1981;Appelo 1994), and ion complexation with organic matter (Kinniburgh et al 1999). Multiple well systems were applied for treatment of reclaimed wastewater in El Paso, Texas (Sheng 2005;Maliva and Missimer 2010), or surface water at the Peace River ASR site (Pyne 2005;Maliva and Missimer 2010).…”