Which wastewater stream is associated with the treatment process of excess salts?

The treatment process for excess salts is primarily associated with waste from reverse osmosis systems. Reverse osmosis is a water purification process that uses a semi-permeable membrane to remove impurities, including salts and other dissolved solids from water. During this process, a portion of the feed water is converted into purified water, while the remaining concentrated solution, known as "brine" or "reject water," contains the excess salts and other contaminants that have been filtered out.

This waste stream, due to its high concentration of salts, requires specific treatment or disposal to prevent environmental contamination and comply with discharge regulations. Reverse osmosis systems are commonly used in various applications, such as desalination and water treatment, making the associated waste distinctly linked to concerns about salt levels.

Other types of wastewater streams, such as boiler blowdown or cooling tower blowdown, may contain dissolved solids, but their primary purpose is not specifically focused on the treatment of excess salts and they involve different processes and operational considerations.