Engineering Team Update
Water Treatment System Conceptual Design
The conceptual water treatment system is being developed by the WDRWS engineering team. As a majority of WDRWS Members use groundwater, fully treated water is planned for the system with a water treatment plant near the proposed intake in Lake Oahe.
Due to differences in treatment regulations, groundwater systems generally do not have the capability to treat surface water, so the initial concept will provide all Members with fully treated potable water.
Initial efforts for the water treatment system concept are focused on collecting Members’ existing water quality data and comparing it to Lake Oahe water quality data to establish water treatment goals and objectives. This will allow the team to ensure the treated water is compatible with existing water supplies. Data collection from Member systems began in 2025.
The engineering team collected samples from Lake Oahe and completed laboratory bench-scale testing to evaluate potential disinfection processes. Initial results indicate that naturally occurring organic matter in the Missouri River may create some water quality compatibility challenges when blending Missouri River water with the groundwater most Members use.
