Freshwater issue

[EngAbdelkader]

hello guys as I am not an environmental engineer but a mech one, I am preparing a small report about the use of water in the field (petroleum)as you know all the oil companies are decreasing their use of freshwater for an environmental reason,I am facing a small issue regarding when can we call a water "freshwater" and when it's considered as "brackish" regarding its salinity (salt content) any standard for that?
this can help me identifying and classifying the water we use.
Thanks in advance!

 

[bimr]

There is no absolute standard. This one is as good as any:

freshwater—Water that contains less than 1000 mg l?1of dissolved solids.


brackish water—Water containing total dissolved salts in the range 1000–10 000 mg?1.

http://amsglossary.allenpress.com/glossary/browse?s=b&p=40

 

[EngAbdelkader]

Great job!
Thanks bimr

 

[EngAbdelkader]

For those interested I found on the net also this:

Salinity is the saltiness or dissolved salt content of a body of water.

35 g dissolved salt / kg sea water = 35 ppt = 35 o/oo = 3.5% = 35,000 ppm
Salinity in Water
drinking water 100 ppm
restriction on drinking water 500 ppm
limit drinking water 1000 ppm
limit agriculture irrigation 2000 ppm
brackish water 500 - 30,000 ppm
sea water 30,000 - 50,000 ppm
brine > 50.000 ppm

it was in engineering toolbox site! link bellow:

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/water-salinity-d_1251.html

thanks anyway and I hope that it'll help you too!

 

[swamis]

In the oil & Gas Industry, particularly in Alberta, canada, the definitions are regulated by the Environmental Resource Conservation Board. Fresh Water (non-saline water) is defined as water sources with total dissolved solids less than 4000 mg/L.

Any water sources above 4000 mg/L is rated as saline water. Definitions generally vary based on water sources (surface or subsurface).