IV-540 



the brackish water is unpotable and treatment costs to render it 

 potable are extremely high. The brackish estuarine water is 

 also a poor source for industrial process water. Here again a 

 high degree of purity is normally required in the process 

 water and the cost of removinq the dissolved salts is pro- 

 hibitive. 



Estuarine waters are used extensively, however, as a source 

 of industrial cooling water. For this use the most important 

 considerations are the Quantity and the ambient temperature. 

 Water temperatures are generally well below the maximum for 

 economical cooling, and since the ocean is connected to one side 

 of the estuary, the quantity is no problem. Cooling water is 

 required by both the manufacturing industry and electric power 

 generation plants; the greatest use is in the thermal electric 

 plants. 



The distribution of cooling water use parallels population and 

 industrial development in the coastal counties, even though 

 electrical power can be transported economically over many miles. 

 The greatest concentrations of cooling water use are in the Middle 

 Atlantic and Pacific Southwest Regions; fortunately these regions 

 both have moderate water temperatures which make possible efficient 



