The Inland Empire Brine Line is intended to provide a cost-effective, sustainable means of disposal of non-reclaimable wastes for utilities and industry within the Santa Ana River Watershed.
The highest and best use of the Brine Line is the removal of salts from the Watershed to keep them from degrading water quality within the Watershed, thereby allowing better use of groundwater resources and expanding the ability to reclaim water.
The long-term goal of achieving salt balance within the region depends on the ability to remove salts from the watershed via the Inland Empire Brine Line. Further use of desalters depends on an economical means of salt disposal and ultimately will depend on an economically viable regional Inland Empire Brine Line.
Two Ways to Connect
Truck Disposal
- Customers who typically generate a small amount of salty wastewater or who cannot connect directly to the Brine Line due to location.
- Disposal of salty wastewater occurs at one of the four Brine Line Collection Stations using a permitted trucker. Click here to find a complete list of permitted salty wastewater haulers.
- Everyone within the SAWPA service area is within 20 miles of a Collection Station (view map).
Direct Disposal
Customers who produce a higher volume of salty wastewater and are located close enough to construct a direct Brine Line connection.
Your waste must meet established limits for certain elements. Click here to view disposal limits.
How Much Does It Cost?
Four Components of Disposal Cost
- Volume Discharged
- Concentration of Biochemical Oxygen Demand
- Concentration of Total Suspended Solids
- Type of connection
Cost Effectiveness:
- Salty wastewater disposal into the Brine Line is approximately $0.05 per gallon for trucked disposal and $0.01 per gallon for direct disposal (low concentration of Biochemical Oxygen Demand and Total Suspended Solids).
- Salty wastewater disposal elsewhere in the LA basin can be as high as $0.25 per gallon.
- Brine Line customers could achieve up to 500% reduction in disposal costs.
Is the Brine Line Right for my Company?
Any industries that generate wastewater high in total dissolved solids, or use any of the following:
Industries that typically benefit from disposal of salty wastewater to the Inland Empire Brine Line include:
What are the Disposal Limits?
| Constituent | Limit (mg/L-except pH) |
| pH | 60.-12.0 |
| Arsenic | 2.0 |
| Cadmium | 1.0 |
| Chromium Total | 20.0 |
| Copper | 3.0 |
| Lead | 2.0 |
| Mercury | 0.03 |
| Nickel | 10.0 |
| Silver | 15.0 |
| Fat, Oils, & Grease | 500 |
| Zinc | 10.0 |
| Cyanide Total | 5.0 |
| Cyanide Amenable | 1.0 |
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls | 0.01 |
| Pesticides | 0.01 |
| Total Toxic Organics | 0.58 |
| Sulfide Total | 5.0 |
| Sulfide Dissolved | 0.5 |
| Oil & Grease Petroleum | 100.0 |
How to Apply
Become an Indirect Discharger
- Complete and submit a Discharger Permit Application.
- Your permit application will be reviewed and a representative will visit your business to complete the permitting process.
- Once approved, a permit for salty wastewater disposal will be issued. The permit will include monitoring requirements and contingency plan in the event that the Brine Line Collection Station is temporarily unavailable.
- Contract with a permitted trucker or obtain a Liquid Waste Hauler Permit for disposal of the brine wastewater at one of the four Brine Line Collection Stations.
Become a Direct Discharger
- Contact SAWPA for discharge requirements and costs.
- Purchase capacity to dispose and treat the waste.
- Complete and submit a Discharger Permit Application.
- Submit construction plans for approval to SAWPA and the appropriate City/Agency.
- Once the contracts are in place, the permit is approved/issued and the lateral line constructed, the tie-in can be made and operation can begin.
- The permit will include disposal limits on metals and other specific contaminants, monitoring and reporting requirements, and a variety of other administrative requirements.
Additional Assistance
SAWPA will assist you every step of the way. Contact us below, or call us at (951) 354-4220. We can help you determine the best option for you and get you through the process.
