The High Cost of Salt Pollution

• To utilities & water management:
  • LA San. Dist. in the early 2000s estimated a cost in excess of $250 million to reduce salts in Santa Clarita
  • Scottsdale, AZ estimates $100 million needed to reduce salt at their wastewater plant
    • $6 to 8 million annual operating cost
    • Softeners are the source of 80% of the salt
    • The cost to install The SALT MINER in each home is $25 million
  • Madison, WI says it costs 20 cents to put one pound of salt in water but $5 per pound to remove it from wastewater
  • A noted wastewater treatment engineer has advocated for a 17 cent a pound tax on softener salt – you can buy the salt for as little as 10 cents per pound in a bag and less than 5 cents in bulk
• To reclaimed water users:
  • Industrial users spend a fortune counteracting the salt
    • Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station estimates that their cost of using reclaimed water will increase dramatically over the next 30 years as salt levels in the water continue to increase
  • Golf courses use more chemicals to counteract the high salt levels
• To the environment – high salt levels threaten fish & wildlife