Florida Water Geek

Have you ever wondered . . .  Where your drinking water comes from? How it gets treated?  How it's delivered to your faucet?   Your Water Utility Water Tower at Fantasy of Flight, Polk City Photo by Donna Kaluzniak In Florida, about 88% of people get their drinking water (also called potable water) from a utility.  The rest of the population have their own private wells. Some utilities provide more than just water. They may also include electric, gas, or sanitation.  Public water systems (PWS) --are water utilities that are owned by a local government or agency. They serve about 93% of Florida's population. Sometimes the water utility is part of a city or county public works department.  Privately owned utilities may outnumber public utilities,  but these are usually very small or rural systems that serve about 7% of the people in Florida. Water utilities vary in size from small systems, such as Graceville with a population of 2,236 to huge systems lik...

How is Your Drinking Water Treated to Ensure Safety? Source water (sometimes called "raw" water) is pumped through pipelines to a Water Treatment Plant (WTP) , where it goes through processes to remove contaminants.  Many utilities have more than one WTP. There are often multiple wells or other sources. Having multiple facilities provides redundancy, which is especially important in case of emergencies or natural disasters. The WTPs are usually located as close to the source as possible, which reduces the cost for pipeline construction and pumping.  The type of treatment needed to provide safe drinking water depends upon the quality of the source water.  For instance, in northeast Florida, most of the water comes from a confined portion of Floridan Aquifer (a confined aquifer) 800 to 1200 feet below the earth's surface. A confined aquifer is one that is covered by a rock, clay, or sediment layer that slows down or prevents groundwater flow. This water is very pure and req...

What is the source of drinking water in Florida? The answer is. . . it depends on your location.  Most Florida communities rely on groundwater , typically from underground aquifers . Certain utilities use surface water (rivers, lakes and reservoirs) a source. Some areas of the state, such as Tampa, blend water sources, including from seawater . An aquifer is an underground layer of rock, sand, or gravel that stores water—like a huge natural sponge beneath our feet. Rainwater seeps through the soil and eventually collects in the spaces within these layers. In Florida, most aquifers are made of porous limestone that lets water flow easily, almost like an extremely slow-moving underground river.  Aquifers also supply wells and springs throughout the state. The Floridan Aquifer , one of the most productive in the world, supplies much of the state's drinking water. It supplies water to almost 10 million people as well as industries and agriculture. It extends across several state...