Every year, we recognize Water Reuse Week in the third week of May. This week helps promote and encourages efficient use of reclaimed water. On May 3rd, CCUA’s Board of Supervisors adopted a proclamation signifying the importance of Water Reuse Week in Clay County.
CCUA uses Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT) systems at many of our Water Reclamation Facilities (WRFs). The AWT system produce reclaimed water our customers use beneficially for irrigation. Our customers use of reclaimed water protects other sensitive water sources such as the Floridan Aquifer.
CCUA began investing in reclaimed water and AWT systems back in the late 1990s. Currently, five of CCUA’s seven WRF’s are equipped with AWT systems. We initiated construction of the Peters Creek WRF expansion. That means six of CCUA’s seven WRFs will produce reclaimed water.
CCUA provides reclaimed water services to nearly 18,000 customer accounts. This means roughly a third (1/3) of CCUA customers access and use reclaimed water services for irrigation. With the growth in of new homes in this area, we see the number of customers with reclaimed water services continuing to expand.
The State of Florida passed legislation in 2021 requiring utilities eliminate surface water discharges of reclaimed water and redirect that important resource to beneficial uses by 2032. Currently, customers beneficially use roughly 67% of reclaimed water CCUA treats through the WRFs. Because of the investments CCUA made in both the AWT and reclaimed water distribution systems, we will meet the requirements of this legislation well before the 2032 deadline.
CCUA’s AWT systems treat and reclaim water to a high level Because of this high level of treatment reclaiming water, we consider reclaimed water a viable and sustainable source water for yet higher levels to treatment to potable (drinking) water. CCUA’s currently in the process of building a Potable Reclaimed Water Pilot Project to our Mid-Clay WRF. At this facility, we intend to take available reclaimed water and further the advanced treatment all the way to drinking water through an additional multi-barrier treatment process.
Our staff continues to work closely with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) regarding the design, permitting, and construction of the Mid-Clay Pilot Project. Once complete we will continue working with the FDEP demonstrating the treatment technologies meet or exceed potable drinking water standards as well as potential future regulated constituents. Our team designed the Mid-Clay Pilot Project with an educational facility. We intend to invite community leaders, customers, educators, students, and public stakeholders to see the equipment, test results, and most importantly the safe and reliable potable reclaimed water.
Regulatory agencies and partners throughout the state understand reclaimed water’s crucial role in future water supply plans. In fact, in 2021 approximately 57% of all wastewater treatment flows within the St. John’s River Water Management District (SJRWMD) were reused for beneficial purposes. By the numbers, CCUA remains a leader in the State of Florida producing reclaimed water. By the investments we continue to make in water treatment, we intend to sustainably serve our customers with safe and reliable water, wastewater, and reclaimed services.
At CCUA, our team talks, thinks, and acts to sustainably serve the community in which we live and work. As an organization, we maintain a tradition of forward thinking and investing in the future to provide long-term value to our customers. We demonstrated that forward thinking by investing in AWT and reclaimed water systems before they were required. We continue to demonstrate that sustainable forward thinking by the development of the Mid-Clay Pilot Project. While our Board of Supervisors will declare the third week of May as Water Reuse Week, our team sees water reuse as part of a sustainable water cycle that provides long-term value to our customers.