Embodiments presented herein provide an evaporation based zero liquid discharge method for generation of up to 100% quality high pressure steam from produced water in the heavy oil production industry. De-oiled water is processed in an evaporation system producing a distillate that allows steam to be generated with either drum-type boilers operating at higher pressures or once-through steam generators (OTSGs) operating at higher vaporization rates. Evaporator blowdown is treated in a forced-circulation evaporator to provide a zero liquid discharge system that could recycle >98% of the deoiled water for industrial use. Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide at least one "straight sump" evaporator and at least one hybrid external mist eliminator. Embodiments of the evaporation method operate at a higher overall efficiency than those of the prior art by producing distillate at a higher enthalpy which minimizes the high pressure boiler preheating requirement.