Florida Water Geek

  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 advanced-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...

  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...

  A Celebration and Reminder of Water's Importance This past week - May 17 - 23, 2026 was Water Reuse Week in Florida . This is an annual celebration in Florida, supported by our five Water Management Districts. Many local governments and communities sign declarations and host educational events for kids and adults. The idea is to appreciate and protect our precious water resources. While Florida may seem to have plenty of water, only a small percentage is fresh water suitable for drinking. The recent drought has made this even more apparent as many in the state are under a severe water shortage with restrictions. That's why the reuse of reclaimed water  becomes more important every day.  JEA H2.O Purification Center As part of Water Reuse Week, the Florida Water Reuse Summit was held at JEA's H2.O Purification Center in Jacksonville, Florida.  (JEA is a large utility in northeast Florida). This impressive facility will take highly treated reclaimed water and furthe...