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Reuse: a Safe and Effective Way to Save Water

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SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT Water Reuse: A safe and effective way to save water ON THE INSIDE The demand for water is projected to increase over the long term in n Reclaimed water and reuse explained South Florida. Urban populations, agricultural operations and the environment depend on adequate water supplies. Fresh ground n Reuse success stories water and surface water will not be sufficient to satisfy all future n Reuse on a regional level demands. Meeting this growing thirst hinges on efforts to develop How water is reclaimed n alternative water sources. This brochure looks at one of the ways to n Purple pipes signify conserve Florida’s water resources — reclaiming water for reuse. reclaimed water Consider what happens to the water used inside the home. Once down the drain, this water is piped to the local wastewater treatment plant where it undergoes treatment to meet state standards for disposal. Historically, most of the water was disposed by injecting it deep underground or by discharging to surrounding waters or to the ocean. This is a wasteful way to treat such a valuable resource. More and more communities are finding that wastewater need not be wasted. They are reclaiming this water for irrigation of residential lots, golf courses, sports fields and orange groves; industrial cooling; car washing; fire protection; and Reclaimed water sign in Collier County groundwater recharge. Reuse is also beneficial to the environment. Success Stories During times of drought, reclaimed water •Pompano Beach – The city takes is a dependable source of water because wastewater being piped to the ocean, its availability is not dependent on rainfall. treats it to a higher standard and The use of reclaimed water is currently reuses it locally for irrigating exempt from year-round landscape residential lawns, parks and golf irrigation conservation measures and courses. emergency water shortage restrictions. The color purple is used to •Cape Coral – A reclaimed water irrigation system serves more than identify pumps, tanks and What Is Reuse? 38,000 residences as part of the city's Water Independence for Cape Coral pipes carrying reclaimed Water reuse is the use of highly treated (WICC) campaign. Canal water is used water for reuse. The photo domestic wastewater (reclaimed water) for to supplement reclaimed water to meet above and on the cover beneficial purposes, such as: irrigation of the 28 mgd system demand. shows a reuse facility in yards, agriculture, golf courses, parks and other green space; industrial purposes Pompano Beach. •Collier County – More than 18 mgd such as cooling water and process water; of reclaimed water is provided by 2 groundwater recharge; toilet flushing; dust facilities. The water is reused at almost control; and environmental restoration. 20,000 residences, 23 golf courses Reuse reduces the reliance on ground and several parks and schools. water, surface water and potable water. •Orlando and Orange County – The Conserv I and Conserv II reuse systems Is It Safe to Use Reclaimed Water? provide reclaimed water to about Yes. The Florida Department of Health has 8,000 residences, 85 parks, 12 found that reuse poses no threat to public schools and 13 golf courses – in health. Continuous monitoring of addition to recharging the aquifer reclaimed water, required by the Florida through rapid infiltration basins. Department of Environmental Protection, •Loxahatchee River District – This ensures excellent water quality for system in Jupiter reuses more than 6 protection of the public and the mgd of reclaimed water to irrigate 14 environment. It is not treated for golf courses, 14 parks and 4,500 domestic use, such as drinking, residential lawns. cooking or bathing. •Palm Beach County – The county's Reuse System Locations Water Utilities Department provides approximately 14 mgd of reclaimed The map to the left shows locations water to more than 6,000 residences, where reclaimed water is being 10 golf courses, 2 parks, and the utilized within the 16-county area Wakodahatchee and Green Cay of the South Florida Water wetlands. In addition, approximately Management District. The dots 20 mgd of reclaimed water is sent to represent more than 100 FPL's West County Energy Center for wastewater facilities that are reusing cooling. 266 million gallons per day (mgd), or 31 percent of the total wastewater •Reedy Creek Improvement treated. For now, the rest of the District – This utility provides wastewater (590 mgd) is being sent to reclaimed water for irrigation of the the ocean or injected 3,000 feet landscaped areas in the Walt Disney underground, primarily in Palm Beach, World Resort Complex. Four golf Broward and Miami-Dade counties. This is courses, hotels, highway medians and water that could be reclaimed for reuse. parks are irrigated with reclaimed water. A network of rapid infiltration OTHER REUSE UTILITIES IN SOUTH FLORIDA Ave Maria Miramar Boca Raton Naples Bonita Springs North Fort Myers Broward County Okeechobee Clewiston Port St. Lucie East Central Regional St. Cloud (West Palm Beach) St. Lucie County Groundwater recharge basins in Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority St. Lucie West Orlando Fort Myers Sanibel Hollywood Seacoast Indiantown South Central Regional LaBelle (Boynton Beach/Delray Beach) Lee County South Martin Regional Marco Island (Hobe Sound/Jupiter Island) Martin County Toho Water Authority Miami-Dade County Wellington Fort Myers city nursery using reclaimed water basins is used for groundwater reuse. The demand, especially for recharge. More than 6 mgd of irrigation, has grown beyond what can reclaimed water is used for reasonably be supplied by traditional groundwater recharge and another groundwater sources and reclaimed 5 mgd is used for irrigation. water sources. There is a waiting list of users for reclaimed water. Utilities Does the SFWMD Help Fund Reuse and the District are working together Projects? to maximize the use of reclaimed water. This includes interconnecting The District has provided financial reclaimed water systems, developing Wetland created with reclaimed assistance through the Alternative Water water in south Palm Beach County supplemental sources of water and Supply (AWS) grant program to local increasing storage. entities in developing local reuse initiatives. The District has contributed • Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm more than $99 million to 257 reclaimed Beach Counties – Miami-Dade, water projects through its annual grant Broward and Palm Beach counties program. make up the Lower East Coast urban corridor. Since 2007, any increase in Reuse on a Regional Level future water supply needs cannot draw from the natural system. These • Kissimmee/Orlando Area – This counties have large requirements for Freeze-proofing plants with area has historically had a high reclaimed water in Orlando water reuse due to the Ocean Outfall percentage of water reuse. The District Act that could offset the regional is working with utilities in Orange, demands. This would reduce the Osceola and Polk counties to optimize demand on the regional system and the use of reclaimed water to offset improve Everglades/Lake Okeechobee withdrawals from the Floridan aquifer restoration efforts. and avoid potential harm to the groundwater resources. Palm Beach County has taken great strides with water reuse, doubling its • Collier, Lee, Martin Counties/ reuse over the last 10 years to 58 Northern Palm Beach County – mgd in 2012, or 48 percent of its These areas have a high percentage of Reclaimed water for golf course wastewater flow. irrigation in Palm Beach Gardens How Water Is Reclaimed DID YOU KNOW? n More than 127,000 residences, 199 golf courses, 269 parks and 74 schools are using reclaimed water Golf and Sports Field Irrigation for irrigation within the boundaries of the South Florida Water Management District. Industrial/Commercial Uses n Reclaimed water doesn’t smell or stain sidewalks and driveways like WASTEWATER well water or canal water. TREATMENT FILTRATION DISINFECTION PLANT Agricultural Irrigation n Nature is the ultimate reuser of water. Through what is called the “hydrologic cycle,” today's rainfall Residential/Landscape is the same water recycled over Irrigation millions and millions of years. Ground Water Recharge n An average of 725 million gallons per day (mgd) of reclaimed water This diagram follows the process of turning domestic wastewater into reclaimed water for is reused every day in Florida. reuse. Separate pipes carry wastewater to the treatment plant where it undergoes treatment, About 266 mgd of this reuse including filtration and disinfection, before it can be distributed. Reuse eliminates the occurs within the 16-county area dependence on potable water, surface water or ground water for these uses. of the South Florida Water Management District. – FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WATER REUSE – n Most of the reclaimed water (55%) Rick Nevulis (561) 682-6242 or [email protected] is used for irrigation of public areas like residences, parks, – FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WATER CONSERVATION – schools, medians, golf courses, etc. www.savewaterfl.com n Users of reclaimed water are currently exempt from year-round irrigation measures and For more information on this restrictions imposed during water subject, scan this QR code shortages. using a barcode reader app on your smartphone. n As the population grows, wastewater flows will increase and so will the ability to produce more reclaimed water. The South Florida Water Manage ment District is a regional, governmental Sixty-four percent of wastewater agency that oversees the water resources in the southern half of the state. It is the n treated in the District is in oldest and largest of the state’s five water management districts. Broward and Miami-Dade Our Mission is to manage and protect water resources of the region by balancing counties. Of that, only about and improving water quality, flood control, natural systems and water supply. five percent is reused. This “Below the Surface” publication n Putting reclaimed water to on Water Reuse beneficial use is “Recycling at its directly supports our South Florida Water Management District Best.” 3301 Gun Club Road mission of water West Palm Beach, Florida 33406 supply.
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