Aquaculture in Recirculating Cooling Water From an Electric Generating Plant

Recirculating cooling water from an electric generating plant accumulated dissolved and suspended solids up to ten times that of the make-up water from the Mississippi River. Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) and tilapia (Tilapia mossambica) were grown in the cooling water, in clear well water, and in a mixture of the two for seven months as part of an investigation of the use of cooling water for commercial aquaculture. Health of both species was generally excellent In test and control waters; growth was commercially acceptable; bioaccumulation of contaminants was negligible. Organoleptic quality was not acceptable, although the cause of the off-flavor is uncertain and may be controllable.