A method for processing wastewater is provided. The method includes pretreating a flow of the wastewater using at least one of a softening/clarification system, a sludge handling system, a filtration system, and an ammonia stripping system, evaporating the pretreated flow to produce at least a distillate and an evaporator brine; separating the evaporator brine to produce a liquid recycle stream and salt crystal mixture; and channeling the liquid recycle stream to a feed stream. The method eliminates the salt drying process that significantly reduces the costs of construction and operation of the standard zero process water discharge process.