What is the desired goal of a wastewater evaporation pond?

The desired goal of a wastewater evaporation pond is to eliminate water completely. These ponds are designed to decrease the volume of wastewater through natural evaporation processes. In such systems, wastewater is collected and spread out in a large, shallow basin, allowing the sun and wind to promote evaporation. This process reduces the liquid volume significantly, effectively concentrating any dissolved solids and other contaminants left behind.

Additionally, while treatment or reuse of water might be a goal in other systems, evaporation ponds are primarily focused on volume reduction. They do not typically aim for complete treatment that would make the water suitable for direct reuse. Instead, the purpose revolves around managing the volume of excess water in an environmentally beneficial way while minimizing the potential for leakage or overflow. This distinction highlights the unique function of evaporation ponds in the broader context of wastewater management.