Florida Water Geek

  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 - ...

  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...

  The Wastewater Collection System Have you ever wondered what happens to the water you use for drinking, cooking, flushing, showering, washing dishes, and doing laundry? Until I was in the "water business' I really didn't give it much thought. But it's a very important process!! Sewer Service Lines: The plumbing in your house or business connects to a sewer service line that goes through your property and connects to the utility's wastewater collection system (also called the sanitary sewer collection system ).  The sanitary sewer system  is designed to transport wastewater to a treatment plant to remove contaminants. The treated water is then discharged to a receiving water and/or reused. NOTE: Some utilities combine the sanitary sewer system with the storm sewer system. These are called combined sewer systems. Florida law does NOT allow combined sewers. Stormwater and wastewater must be transported in separate piping systems. This illustration from the EPA s...

How are contaminants removed from wastewater? Wastewater Treatment Facilities, Water Reclamation Facilities, and Water Resource Recovery Facilities Water used in our homes and businesses flows through the wastewater collection system  to a wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) , also called Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW)   if  owned by a state or local government, which many are. Water Reclamation Facilities (WRFs) are those  that provide advanced treatment, cleaning the water to a higher level to produce reclaimed water. Reclaimed water can be reused for irrigation, cooling towers, wetlands enhancement or other uses.  Image by  Michal Jarmoluk  from  Pixabay Water Resource Recovery Facilities (WRRFs) take things a step further by extracting valuable materials from wastewater, such as creating biogas from excess biolsolids that can be used for energy. WRRFs may also recover valuable metals or nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus to be use...

  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...

Florida Senate Bill 64 and You What is Senate Bill 64? Florida Senate Bill 64 (SB64) was passed in 2021, and relates to reclaimed water. This law basically requires wastewater treatment plants (WTPs) or water reclamation facilities (WRFs) to eliminate "nonbeneficial surface water discharges." Most WWTPs and WRFs currently discharge at least some of their effluent to surface waters - rivers and lakes. (About two-thirds of all combined discharges are non-beneficial).  While this treated effluent may not be "beneficial," it must meet antidegradation law. The effluent discharged cannot degrade the water quality of the receiving stream. Samples are collected upstream and downstream regularly to ensure no degradation occurs.  In addition WRFs must meet strict permit limits on removal of contaminants. SB64 will require these discharges from WRFs to be eliminated by January 1, 2032.  The way to eliminate a surface water discharge is to either inject the effluent deep int...

  Testing Our Drinking Water Photo: Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Dept. What Kind of Tests are Run on Drinking Water? Public water systems test drinking water for over 90 contaminants , running hundreds of analyses during the year.  Process Control Testing Water systems also conduct numerous process control tests  that water plant operators use to monitor and adjust water treatment plant performance. Process control testing is performed on the incoming source water at at various stages of treatment. Regulatory Testing The U.S. EPA, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), and Florida's Water Management Districts regulate which contaminants must be monitored, how often, and the maximum contaminant levels allowed.  Most regulatory testing is performed on the finished water, after treatment and at the entry to the distribution system , with some testing performed in the distribution system.  For instance, chlorine residual tests are conducted on the e...

  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...

  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...