Transcript Reclaimed Water as Alternative Water Supply

Reclaimed Water in South Florida
And Its Connection with Hydro(geo)logy
Rick Nevulis, P.G.
Water Reuse Coordinator
Water Supply Department , SFWMD
February 17, 2010
South Florida Hydrologic Society
Davie, FL
Why am I talking about this?

Why Me? – I’m the Water Reuse
Coordinator at the SFWMD

Why the SFWMD? The SFWMD doesn’t
regulate reclaimed water, but we do
actively promote and encourage its usage

As a hydrogeologist, perhaps I can lend
that perspective with regard to reclaimed
water
First, A Glance at Reclaimed
Water in the SFWMD
What is
Reclaimed Water?
Water that has received at least secondary
treatment and basic disinfection and is
reused after flowing out of a domestic
wastewater treatment facility for a beneficial
purpose
Treatment levels to match uses:
Irrigation (golf courses, residents)
 Groundwater recharge
 Industrial uses (e.g., FPL)
 Environmental enhancement
(wetlands)

South Florida Water
Management District
Ensure adequate water supply for
current & future users & the
environment & protect water quality

Water Supply Plans

Water Use Permits

Minimum Flows & Levels & Reservations

Fund Alternative Water Supplies
Florida Department of
Environmental Protection
Water Quality Issues

Water body classifications

Water quality standards

Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)

Impaired water bodies
How will the increasing
demand for water be met?
ASR, 16
Reclaimed
Water,
177

300+ New Water Supply
Projects identified in
the Water Supply Plans
Brackish
Water,
88
Surface
Water,
33
Integrated Water Supply Portfolio
-ExampleOcean
Desalination
3%
Imported
water
Conservation
15%
29%
14%
Recycling
DIVERSITY = RELIABILITY
39%
Groundwater
SFWMD’s Reuse History
300
250
mgd
200
150
100
50
0
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Volume
Wastewater Treatment Plant
Flow by SFWMD Planning Area
82 MGD
19 MGD
83 MGD
650 MGD
SFWMD Wastewater
Disposal Methods
35% Deep Injection
28% Reuse
35% Ocean Outfall
2% Surface Water
& Other
Total Wastewater Flow: 851 MGD
Reuse Summary by Planning Region
1000
887
Wastewater Flow, MGD
Reuse, MGD
Million Gallons Per Day (MGD)
800
642
600
397
400
200
143
134 134
127
81 81
81 73
69
19
0
2006
2025
Lower East Coast
2006
2025
Lower West Coast
2006
9
29 25
2025
Upper East Coast
2006
2025
Kissimmee Basin
Reuse Across the SFWMD
100%
100%
46%
100%
87%
100%
73%
% of Wastewater
Reused
29%
Reuse System
76%
5%
6%
Number of Systems: ~110
Total Reused: ~230 MGD
4%
MGD = Million Gallons per Day
Lower East Coast
Driving Factors
 Regional water availability rule
Lake
Okeechobee
 Ocean outfall legislation
 Miami-Dade Water Use Permit
 Irrigation based reuse
 More groundwater recharge?
Based on 2007 FDEP Inventory
Lower East Coast
Successes
 Palm Beach County
Challenges
Lake
Okeechobee
 Highly urbanized
 No large users; limited irrigation
 Everglades restoration
 Cost / Water Quality / Treatment
 Public education
 Ocean outfall legislation
Based on 2007 FDEP Inventory
Pompano Beach

Pulls water from Broward County ocean
outfall pipe
 7.5 MGD capacity
 Irrigation of residential lots, golf course and
park
 Pilot project to test saline barrier
Palm Beach County
Southern Region

Serves western Delray Beach/Boynton Beach

Mandatory Reuse Zone

Irrigation of 3,325 residential lots, 4 golf
courses, and 2 parks

150 acres of created wetlands

Green Cay & Wakodahatchee
Water Reuse in Everglades
Restoration

Biscayne Bay Coastal
Wetlands Rehydration

Bird Drive

Bird Drive Recharge
Area

Biscayne
Bay
Pilot project in
planning phase

Postponed
Dependent on West
WWTP for reclaimed
water
SFWMD Wastewater
Disposal Methods
35% Deep Injection
28% Reuse
35% Ocean Outfall
2% Surface Water
& Other
Total Wastewater Flow: 851 MGD
Lake
Okeechobee
Active Ocean
Outfalls in Florida
South Central Regional - 13 MGD
Boca Raton - 10 MGD
Broward Co. North - 37 MGD
Hollywood - 40 MGD
Miami-Dade North - 81 MGD
Miami-Dade Central District - 115 MGD
Total = 297 MGD
*Average daily flow from 2003 through 2007
Ocean Outfall Legislation
Requirements

By the end of 2025 use of the outfalls for
wastewater disposal will be eliminated

Requires 60% of outfall facility flows to be reused

Outfalls may only be
used after 2025 to
discharge wet weather
flows from reuse
systems during times
when reclaimed water
cannot be used
Legislated Water
Reuse from Outfall
Facilities
Lake
Okeechobee
7.7 MGD
6.2 MGD
22.4 MGD
South Central Regional
Boca Raton
Broward Co. North
24.1 MGD
Hollywood
48.6 MGD
68.9 MGD
Total = 178 MGD
Miami-Dade North
Miami-Dade Central District
That’s the quick overview of
water reuse in the SFWMD
Typical Hydrologic Cycle
“Urban” Hydrologic Cycle
Source
Supply Well

Not a cycle on the local level

Fresh water is wasted to the
ocean or deep injection wells
Water Treatment
Water Use
Wastewater
Disposal
Unplanned Reuse
Missouri River
Upper Mississippi River
Ohio River
Arkansas River
Lower Mississippi River
Tennessee River
Unplanned Urban Hydrologic Cycle
City #1
Water Use
Wastewater Disposal
City #2
City #3
Water Use
Wastewater Disposal
Water Use
Wastewater Disposal
Etc.
New and Improved Urban
Hydrologic Cycle
Source
X
Supply Well
Water Treatment
Water Use
This is where it gets interesting - where
to reuse/put/store the reclaimed water
Wastewater
Disposal
Where will the
reclaimed water go?

Land Application (irrigation, perc ponds,
etc.)

Ponds, Lakes, Wetlands

Subsurface

ASR

Injection/ Recharge

Floridan Aquifer

Surficial Aquifer
Subsurface injection may be
an attractive alternative
Some of the reuse surface challenges for south Florida
utilities are:

Identifying enough surface recipients

Identify enough high-volume recipients, especially
during wet times

Getting reclaimed water to them (urban pipes = $$)

In light of these restrictions, subsurface injection may
be an attractive alternative
What kind of subsurface
reuse ideas are out there?

Saline intrusion barrier (Pompano Beach)

Floridan aquifer (in Broward County?)

Surficial aquifer (Pembroke Pines, MiamiDade, others?)
What issues are driving
subsurface reuse?
(as with other reuse options)

Disposal – you got to put it somewhere

Health, environmental, water quality
considerations (FDEP)

Economics, economics, economics

Legislation (e.g., ocean outfall legislation)

Water use permitting – If I’m increasing the
size of the “water pie”, I would like to reuse it
Example of the complexities
Miami-Dade
Metro Zoo
What are the issues with
using reclaimed water at
the Metro Zoo?
(as with most other potential sites)

Miami Dade wants to use the water resources
wisely

WWTP permits (FDEP)

SFWMD water use permit

Mandated in the Ocean Outfall Legislation

To increase its water allocation from the
SFWMD
Example of the complexities
Moat
Drainage Canal
Regional Canal
Proposed
Biscayne Wells
Note: Locations are conceptual. Intended for discussion purposes only
What are the challenges?

Water quality

Reclaimed water

Moat

Wellfield

Canal

?

Moat or shallow wells?

SFWMD water use permit



?
?
For an offset:

recharge wellfield

recharge regional canal
Note: Locations are generalized. Intended for discussion purposes only
In Summary

People generate wastewater

Wastewater can be disposed or reused

If reused, it requires additional treatment
(maybe RO, nutrient removal, etc.?)

Subsurface storage and recharge is an
attractive alternative to traditional reuse

Reuse increases the size of the “water pie”,
and reduces stress on other sources
(groundwater).

Reclaimed water may not be perfect, but it may
be better than not having any water, right?
“If water is life…water conservation
and reuse must be our way of life.”
Use it Again, South Florida!