WHAT IS REUSE OF RECLAIMED WATER?

-

 What is Reclaimed Water?

You may have seen signs at a park or landscaping around a public building that say "Irrigated with Reclaimed Water." You may even use reclaimed water to irrigate your own lawn. So, what exactly is it--and how can we use it?

Basically, reclaimed water is treated and disinfected wastewater that can be reused for beneficial purposes.

Florida's Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) defines reclaimed water as "water that has received at least secondary treatment and basic disinfection and is reused after flowing out of a domestic wastewater facility."  (For an explanation of levels of treatment see the post on Wastewater Treatment).

Reclaimed water must meet extremely stringent FDEP requirements. Strict permitting and operating protocols must be followed. These include operator certification, monitoring and testing; reporting; setback distances, signage, and more.

What is Reuse?

Florida is a national leader when it comes to water reuse. In 2024, we reused about 958 million gallons per day (MGD) of reclaimed water.

Per FDEP, reuse is "the deliberate application of reclaimed water, in compliance with Department and Water Management District rules, for a beneficial purpose."

Reclaimed water can be reused for many beneficial purposes, as long as it meets all the regulations for each specific purpose. There are different types of applications for reuse. Each type of use requires a specific level of treatment.

Image from Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection

Restricted Public Access - Crops

This type of reuse is for crops such as feed, fodder, sod, trees and forests. No public activity is allowed. Secondary treatment and basic disinfection is required. 

Here's a farmer discussing how reclaimed water reduces the need for added nutrients while producing a cleaner water for the natural environment.

In this video, the president of SMR Farms discusses the benefits of using reclaimed water for agricultural irrigation:



 Public Access Areas, Residential Irrigation, and Edible Crops

This type of reuse includes landscape irrigation for residents, golf courses, cemeteries, medians, decorative ponds and fountains, toilet flushing, edible crops and dust control on construction sites. 

This type of reuse requires advanced water treatment that includes coagulation, filtration and high-level disinfection.

Groundwater Recharge and Salinity Barriers

Groundwater recharge can be accomplished by passing reclaimed water through infiltration basins, percolation ponds or by direct injection into the groundwater. 

Requirements for the method and treatment levels depend on the class of groundwater being recharged. In all cases, the reclaimed water must be treated to a higher level than the groundwater it is recharging. 

Some aquifers have saline water in the deeper recesses, and reclaimed water can be injected to prevent saltwater intrusion into the fresh water areas.

Wetland Creation or Enhancement

Reclaimed water can be used to rehydrate or augment an existing wetland, or in some cases create an entirely new wetland. Here are some examples.

Reclaimed water used to rehydrate a drying wetland while keeping nutrients out of the river at Bennett Swamp in Daytona Beach:


Here's a video on the Ichetucknee Springs enhancement project:


This video describes a pilot study from JEA (northeast Florida) for a wetlands project.



Industrial Use

Depending on the industry, reclaimed water can be used for cooling water, process water, or washdown water. Here are a few industrial users that are listed on FDEP's website.


Geek Out

Get details on reuse in Florida with FDEP's Reuse Inventory Database and Annual Reports



Other links are available on FDEP's Water Reuse Program Page.




 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

DRINKING WATER TREATMENT IN FLORIDA

-
Image
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...
Read more

HOW DOES DRINKING WATER GET TO YOUR TAP?

-
Image
  The Water Distribution System Once the water has been treated to meet all federal, state, and local regulations for drinking water, it is pumped into storage tanks . Storage allows for fluctuations in water usage and holds enough water for emergencies and fire protection. Some of these are ground storage tanks and others may be elevated tanks (water towers). Elevated tanks not only store water, but help to regulate pressure in the system.  Pumps then send drinking water into the water distribution system . Pumps provide pressure in the system, usually around 60 to 75 pounds per square inch (psi), allowing water to flow into buildings throughout the community.  Note that in Florida, a measurable disinfectant (chlorine or chloramine) must be added to the water just before entering the distribution system. A minimum chlorine residual of 0.2 parts per million or milligrams per liter (mg/L) must be maintained throughout the system - to the furthest point from the water tr...
Read more

FLORIDA DRINKING WATER SOURCES

-
Image
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...
Read more