"We have to be creative and collaborative if we want to ensure that our citizens have the water they need and that our natural resources, which define our quality of life, are protected," said Brian Armstrong, Southwest Florida Water Management District executive director.
Hers's a look at four unique regional water supply projects breaking new ground throughout the region:
OSCEOLA COUNTY - Cypress Lake Wellfield Project
The Cypress Lakes Wellfield is a collaborative effort between the members of the Water Cooperative of Central Florida (WCCF, composed of the Tohopekaliga Water Authority, Orange County Utilities, Polk County Utilities, and the City of St. Cloud) and Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID).
This proposed project will develop a nontraditional LFA groundwater wellfield in central Osceola County. The project includes the construction of a new water treatment plant, wellfield and raw water transmission systems, concentrate disposal well(s), and the construction of the distribution water mains to convey water among the WCCF partners.
The project has been identified as having a 15 mgd and 30 mgd finished water construction phases. The project has been permitted and is in design.
Final design is anticipated to begin in 2020 with construction in 2022.
POLK COUNTY - Southwest Polk County Wellfield Project
The Southeast Polk County Wellfield project includes the construction of a new water treatment plant and associated infrastructure. This project is a collaborative effort among Polk County Utilities and municipalities within Polk County.
The proposed project will develop a nontraditional Lower Floridan aquifer (LFA) water public supply wellfield in southeast Polk County. The project includes the construction of a new water treatment plant, wellfield and raw water transmission systems, concentrate disposal well(s), the construction of distribution water mains to the project partners, and internal system upgrades by individual project partners.
The project is proposed to be built in three phases, with 10 mgd, 20 mgd, and 30 mgd finished water construction phases. The project partners will take the water from this wellfield project to meet their demands. This water will be used in lieu of additional future withdrawals from the traditional supply source. The project has been permitted and design will begin in 2017.
POLK COUNTY - Tampa Electric Company (TECO) Polk Power Reuse
This award-winning reclaimed water supply project within the SWFWMD portion of Polk County supplies 10 mgd of reclaimed water from three different wastewater treatment facilities to the TECO Polk Power Generation Facility.
The Edison Electric Institute, an electric industry trade association, honored Tampa Electric with a National Award for the innovative partnership project (Power industry's most prestigious award). The Florida Engineering Society named it as the Engineering Project of the Century in 2016.
The project included the design, permitting, construction and/or purchasing of a reclaimed water pump station at the Lakeland Wetland Treatment System, a pump station at the Mulberry Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), a storage tank at the TECO Polk Power Station, an advanced membrane reclaimed water treatment system at the TECO Polk Power Station, a membrane concentrate deep disposal well at the TECO Polk Power Station, transmission mains from the Lakeland Wetland Treatment System to the TECO Polk Power Station, transmission lines from Polk Southwest WWTP and Mulberry WWTP to the transmission main line and other necessary equipment to supply available reclaimed water flows from Lakeland, Mulberry, and Polk Southwest WWTPs to the TECO Polk Power Station.
The reclaimed water supply project provides an estimated 10 mgd of reclaimed water and will enable the future supply of ultimately up to 17 mgd of reclaimed water. The project is substantially complete.
ORANGE COUNTY - Altamonte Springs/FDOT Integrated Reuse Stormwater Treatment
This project constructed an integrated stormwater reuse and reclaimed water system. The facilities include a pipeline for the delivery of excess stormwater and reclaimed water to the City of Apopka's Water Reclamation Facility; a stormwater treatment plant; and a conveyance system to move stormwater from Cranes Roost to the stormwater treatment plant.
The intent of the project is for the recipient to augment the existing reclaimed water system with treated stormwater from Cranes Roost and I-4 and pump any excess reclaimed water through a new transmission pipeline to the City of Apopka. Excess reclaimed water will occur primarily in wet weather conditions. Apopka will use excess reclaimed water to augment its reuse system and/or to provide recharge to the Floridan aquifer. This project is complete.
Through the CFWI, three water management districts - the St. Johns River, South Florida, and Southwest Florida- are working collaboratively with other agencies and stakeholders to implement effective water resource planning, including water resource and supply development and management strategies to protect, conserve and restore our water resources. The CFWI encompasses five counties: Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk and Seminole.
To date, the work of the CFWI has been captured in a series of documents which provides information to further develop specific regional water supply projects through partnerships with water users including potential sources, cost estimates, feasibility, the permitting process and any potential prevention or recovery needs. To learn more please visit
cfwiwater.com.
The St. Johns River Water Management District
staff are committed to ensuring the sustainable use and protection of water resources for the benefit of the people of the district and the state of Florida. The St. Johns River Water Management District is one of five districts in Florida managing groundwater and surface water supplies in the state. The district encompasses all or part of 18 northeast and east-central Florida counties. District headquarters are in Palatka, and staff also are available to serve the public at service centers in Maitland, Jacksonville and Palm Bay.
The South Florida Water Management District
is a regional governmental agency that manages the water resources in the southern part of the state. It is the oldest and largest of the state's five water management districts. Our mission is to protect South Florida's water resources by balancing and improving flood control, water supply, water quality and natural systems.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District
manages the water resources for west-central Florida as directed by state law. The District encompasses roughly 10,000 square miles in all or part of 16 counties and serves a population of nearly 5 million people. Established in 1961, our mission is to protect water resources, minimize flood risks, and ensure the public's water needs are met.
