Rick Nevulis, P.G.

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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

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Why am I talking about this?

• Why Me? Im the Water Reuse Coordinator at the
  SFWMD
• Why the SFWMD? The SFWMD doesnt 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

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First, A Glance at Reclaimed Water in the SFWMD
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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)

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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

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Florida Department of Environmental Protection

• Water Quality Issues

• Water body classifications
• Water quality standards
• Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)
• Impaired water bodies

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How will the increasing demand for water be met?

• 300 New Water Supply Projects identified in the
  Water Supply Plans

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Integrated Water Supply Portfolio-Example-
Ocean Desalination
Conservation
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Imported water
Recycling
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DIVERSITY RELIABILITY
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Groundwater
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SFWMDs Reuse History
mgd
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Wastewater Treatment Plant Flow by SFWMD Planning
Area
82 MGD
19 MGD
83 MGD
650 MGD
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SFWMD Wastewater Disposal Methods
35 Deep Injection
28 Reuse
2 Surface Water Other
35 Ocean Outfall
Total Wastewater Flow 851 MGD
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Reuse Summary by Planning Region
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Lower East Coast

• Driving Factors
• Regional water availability rule
• Ocean outfall legislation
• Miami-Dade Water Use Permit
• Irrigation based reuse
• More groundwater recharge?

Based on 2007 FDEP Inventory
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Lower East Coast

• Successes
• Palm Beach County
• Challenges
• Highly urbanized
• No large users limited irrigation
• Everglades restoration
• Cost / Water Quality / Treatment
• Public education
• Ocean outfall legislation

Based on 2007 FDEP Inventory
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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

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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

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Water Reuse in Everglades Restoration

• Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands Rehydration
• Pilot project in planning phase
• Bird Drive Recharge Area
• Postponed
• Dependent on West WWTP for reclaimed water

Bird Drive
Biscayne Bay
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SFWMD Wastewater Disposal Methods
35 Deep Injection
28 Reuse
2 Surface Water Other
35 Ocean Outfall
Total Wastewater Flow 851 MGD
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Active Ocean Outfalls in Florida
Total 297 MGD
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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

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Legislated Water Reuse from Outfall Facilities
7.7 MGD
6.2 MGD
22.4 MGD
24.1 MGD
48.6 MGD
68.9 MGD
Total 178 MGD
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Thats the quick overview of water reuse in the
SFWMD
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Typical Hydrologic Cycle
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Urban Hydrologic Cycle

• Not a cycle on the local level
• Fresh water is wasted to the ocean or deep
  injection wells

Source
Water Use
Water Treatment
Supply Well
Wastewater Disposal
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Unplanned Reuse
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Unplanned Urban Hydrologic Cycle
Water Use
City 1
Wastewater Disposal
Water Use
City 2
Wastewater Disposal
Water Use
City 3
Wastewater Disposal
Etc.
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New and Improved Urban Hydrologic Cycle
Source
X
Water Use
Water Treatment
Supply Well
Wastewater Disposal
This is where it gets interesting - where to
reuse/put/store the reclaimed water
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Where will the reclaimed water go?

• Land Application (irrigation, perc ponds, etc.)
• Ponds, Lakes, Wetlands
• Subsurface
• ASR
• Injection/ Recharge
• Floridan Aquifer
• Surficial Aquifer

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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

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What kind of subsurface reuse ideas are out there?

• Saline intrusion barrier (Pompano Beach)
• Floridan aquifer (in Broward County?)
• Surficial aquifer (Pembroke Pines, Miami-Dade,
  others?)

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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 Im increasing the size
  of the water pie, I would like to reuse it

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Example of the complexities
Miami-Dade Metro Zoo
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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

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Example of the complexities
Moat
Reclaimed Water
Drainage Canal
Regional Canal
Proposed Biscayne Wells
Note Locations are conceptual. Intended for
discussion purposes only
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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
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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?

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If water is lifewater conservation and reuse
must be our way of life.
Use it Again, South Florida!