Florida Water Geek

Your Drinking Water Sources C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir - Tampa Bay Water The answer is. . . it depends on your location.  To find the source of your community's drinking water, check your annual Water Quality Report (also called a Consumer Confidence Report ). This report should either be mailed to you or a website link provided for you. It should also be available on your water utility's website. Most Florida communities rely on  groundwater , typically from underground  aquifers .  Some utilities use  surface water  (rivers, lakes and reservoirs) a source.  Utilities in certain areas of the state, such as Tampa Bay Water , blend water sources, including seawater .  And more recently, source water may be augmented with reclaimed water. 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...

  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...

  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.  Here's a short video from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) on why reuse is necessary: 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 FDEP is: " water that meets the primary and secondary drink...