als ▁and ▁traces ▁of ▁naturally ▁occurr ing ▁radio active ▁material ▁( N ORM ), ▁which ▁over ▁time ▁depos its ▁radio active ▁scale ▁in ▁the ▁pip ing ▁at ▁the ▁well . ▁Met als ▁found ▁in ▁produced ▁water ▁include ▁z inc , ▁lead , ▁mang an ese , ▁iron , ▁and ▁b arium . ▁ ▁Water ▁management ▁ ▁Histor ically , ▁produced ▁water ▁was ▁dis posed ▁of ▁in ▁large ▁ev ap oration ▁p onds . ▁However , ▁this ▁has ▁become ▁an ▁increasing ly ▁un accept able ▁dispos al ▁method ▁from ▁both ▁environmental ▁and ▁social ▁pers pect ives . ▁ ▁Produ ced ▁water ▁is ▁considered ▁an ▁industrial ▁waste . ▁ ▁The ▁broad ▁management ▁options ▁for ▁re - use ▁are ▁direct ▁injection , ▁environment ally ▁acceptable ▁direct - use ▁of ▁un tre ated ▁water , ▁or ▁treatment ▁to ▁a ▁government - iss ued ▁standard ▁before ▁dispos al ▁or ▁supply ▁to ▁users . ▁Tre at ment ▁requirements ▁vary ▁throughout ▁the ▁world . ▁In ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁these ▁standards ▁are ▁issued ▁by ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Environment al ▁Prote ction ▁Agency ▁( E PA ) ▁for ▁under ground ▁injection ▁and ▁dis charg es ▁to ▁surface ▁waters . ▁Although ▁benef icial ▁reuse ▁for ▁drink ing ▁water ▁and ▁agricult ure ▁have ▁been ▁research ed , ▁the ▁industry ▁has ▁not ▁adopted ▁these ▁measures ▁due ▁to ▁cost , ▁water ▁avail ability , ▁and ▁social ▁accept ance . ▁ ▁Gra vity ▁separ ators , ▁hydro cy cl ones , ▁plate ▁co ales cers , ▁dissol ved ▁gas ▁fl ot ation , ▁and ▁nut