Florida Water Geek

  Florida Water Shortages It seems like Florida's been getting more rain. But several areas in Florida are still under a Phase II Severe or Phase III Extreme Water Shortage. This means increased restrictions on irrigation and other water uses. Who makes the call about water shortages and what restrictions are in place? Why is it important to follow the restrictions? Florida's five Water Management Districts determine the Water Shortage Phase for each of their areas. Hydrologists use rainfall data, water flows, groundwater levels and water usage to determine if there is sufficient water to meet the needs of the population.  Even if there seems to be plenty of rainfall, a lengthy drought can greatly diminish water supplies. Replenishing our aquifers and increasing our stream flows can take a lot of time.  Also, the rain may not be located in a recharge area. For instance, water supply in the Jacksonville area is from a confined portion of the Floridan Aquifer. Rain falling...

  How Are Stormwater Contaminants Removed? It may seem like rainwater just hits the ground, flows down the street  and out to the nearest river, lake or ocean. But stormwater collection and treatment systems are more complicated than that.  Rainwater that falls gently on lawns or in woods, may percolate into the soil. But, as stormwater flows over impervious surfaces like roofs, driveways, parking lots, roads, highways, construction sites and more, it picks up contaminants that could end up in our natural waters: Sediment Oil, grease, antifreeze, metals Detergents Microplastics Lawn clippings, leaves, yard waste and other organics Fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides Bacteria from pet waste and wildlife  Trash/Litter These contaminants affect water quality and may harm aquatic plants and animals. And in some parts of Florida, the affected waters are drinking water sources. While drinking water must go through a highly regulated treatment process, contaminants from...

  Projects for Florida's Water Future Major projects to replace, upgrade, or provide new water infrastructure are always ongoing. Billions of dollars in engineering and construction are happening now and planned for the future. The reasons are: Regulations - new rules and regulations are issued on a regular basis, from federal, state and local agencies. Most of the time, these new rules require changes to treatment technology or water sources, which requires modification to treatment facilities and pipelines. Population - Florida's population is booming. This means additional water supplies, enlarging or building new treatment facilities, new pipelines for additional homes and businesses. Aging Infrastructure - much of the existing water utility infrastructure (including treatment plants, pipes, pumps and more) has reached the end of its useful life. Replacing these critical facilities is costly, but must be done. Some Projects Making the News South Hillsborough County...

  Reuse Will Be Taking Center Stage Potable reuse has been in the news lately. Daytona Beach may possibly ban potable reuse. But this would be a mistake, in my opinion. In 2021, Senate Bill 64 was passed, which will basically force wastewater treatment and water reclamation facilities to stop discharging treated effluent to surface waters. This means these facilities will need to find more ways to reuse water.  So, let's explain what potable reuse means and why it should be either celebrated or banned. Reuse of reclaimed water is pretty mainstream here in Florida. Many people irrigate their lawns with it. It's widely used at golf courses, as well as many other uses. But, what does potable reuse mean?  What is Potable Water? Potable water is water that is safe for drinking.  The definition from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) is: " water that meets the primary and secondary drinking water quality standards prescribed by the National Primary...

  Want to hear more about water? Water podcasts are becoming more popular.  Here are several that include interesting interviews and news about water tech, current events, and more: WATERSPOUT The St. Johns River Water Management District created WATERSPOUT as a way to let you hear directly from us about Florida’s water resources. You’ll hear from our staff members about the work they do each day and how that work benefits our shared water resources. We’ll delve into important topics affecting our region’s water, what the District is doing and what you can do to help preserve and protect water. Making Waves with FWEA Making Waves is the Florida Water Environment Association's (FWEA's) exploration of our water environment and the impactful actions of our water professionals. Interviews with water professionals from around the state, and even the world bring insight and understanding to our water challenges. Words on Water This podcast is produced by the Water Environment F...

  Show Your Local River Some Love June is National Rivers Month . To celebrate, I'd like to highlight the river that runs through my home in the Jacksonville, Florida area: The Beautiful St. Johns River Photo by Donna Kaluzniak The St. Johns River rises through the sawgrass marshes in Indian River County and is one of the few rivers that flows north. It's the longest river in Florida, stretching 310 miles before it empties into the Atlantic Ocean in Mayport.  The St. Johns is also one of the laziest rivers dropping only 30 feet from the headwaters to the mouth, or about one inch per mile. There's quite a lot of tidal influence at the mouth of the river.  As it winds north the river becomes the source of several large lakes, including Lake George, as well as springs and tributaries.  The river is home to numerous varieties of plants, birds, and marine life, including manatees, dolphins and river otters. A Vital Natural Resource The St. Johns River plays many importan...

  The Amazing Floridan Aquifer An aquifer is an underground layer of permeable rock or sediment that holds or transmits water. The Floridan Aquifer is one of the most productive aquifers in the world. It stretches approximately 100,000 square miles throughout Florida, and parts of Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. It's the main source of drinking water for almost 10 million people. In Florida, the aquifer provides about 4 billion gallons of water per day--about 90 percent of Florida's drinking water and a large share of agricultural and industrial use. The Floridan Aquifer also supplies numerous springs in the state.  The Floridan Aquifer is composed mostly of limestone and dolomite, with cracks and crevices that allow the water to seep through. Some of the layers are confined within clay, so they build artesian pressure.  A good lesson on aquifer geology is on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection website.  Much of the water in the aquifer, espec...

  Water Utilities Need Multiple Permits Water utilities need several different permits from various regulatory agencies . These permits outline specific requirements that the utility must follow to be in compliance with rules.  Obtaining permits can be time consuming and expensive, and many of them need to be renewed after a certain time period. Here are some examples of the different types of water-related permits. Construction Permits If you've ever built a house or even a fence, you usually have to get a permit from the local building or planning department. It's the same for construction of water plants, pipelines, pumping stations and other utility work--only more complicated. For instance, before constructing a pipeline project, the utility must get permits from:   the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).  the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) if the pipe will be in an FDOT right-of-way.  the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) if th...

Treatment Plant and Distribution Operators Are Our Boots on the Ground Water utilities have a wide variety of employees, from engineers and mechanics to administrators and financial experts. But the employees who work directly at the treatment facilities and in the field are the treatment plant and distribution system operators. Operators  working at water treatment or water reclamation facilities must understand the physical operation of the plant, as well as the chemical and biological workings of these critical facilities.  They collect process samples and perform laboratory tests; inspect and maintain equipment; monitor plant performance; use mathematical formulas to determine and make process adjustments; complete reports to regulatory agencies; and more.  Water distribution operators monitor, maintain and repair the distribution system pipelines that carry drinking water from the treatment plant through the city to homes and businesses. Similarly, they may conduc...

  Want to Read the Latest on Water? Newsletters about water issues provide some of the latest information; opinions on water issues; educational content; even book reviews.  To Know Water is to Love Water This newsletter, written by Jim Lauria, a chemical engineer and water expert, explores the connection between water and everything we hold dear. Jim is currently reviewing books about water - many of which are fascinating and now on my reading list. An example - The Poisoned City: A Wakeup Call for America's Water Systems by Anna Clark. The book explores the Flint, Michigan water crisis.  At Water's Edge    Adam Tank writes this newsletter. He is the co-founder and chief communications officer for Transcend, whose engineering platform  engineering platform has designed over 20,000 projects in more than 70 countries and helped secure clean water, renewable power, and reliable infrastructure for more than 450M people. At Water's Edge provides colorful, enter...