Governing Board Declares Water Reuse Week May 19-25

May 9, 2019

Governing Board Declares Water Reuse Week May 19-25

SFWMD Board initiatives have helped nearly triple the use of reclaimed water to ensure future water supply

SFWMD Executive Director Drew Bartlett passes the ceremonial "Purple Coat" to Governing Board Chairman Chauncey Goss as the Governing Board declared May 19-25 as Water Reuse Week. Click on the image to see a larger version.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Governing Board today joined several utilities and local governments including Okeechobee, Palm Beach and Broward counties and the Old Plantation Water Control District in Broward County, in declaring May 19-25 as Water Reuse Week. The resolution urges local governments, utilities and businesses to implement water reuse programs to help protect future water supply of 8.1 million South Florida residents and millions of visitors.

As part of the annual recognition of Water Reuse Week, SFWMD Governing Board Chairman Chauncey Goss donned the ceremonial "Purple Coat", an honor bestowed on one Governing Board Member each year to recognize their support for water reuse.

"Every gallon reused is a gallon saved and another small step closer to ensuring there is enough water available to protect our environment and supply the needs of our communities," said Goss. "We are proud as a Governing Board and as a District to support and promote the reuse of water."

The utilization of reclaimed water, or water from homes and businesses that is treated and used again for things like irrigation, groundwater recharge and environmental needs, has been steadily increasing throughout South Florida. In 1994 about 100 million gallons per day of water was reused while by 2017 about 295 million gallons per day is reused. SFWMD has also partnered with local utilities and to support water reuse projects. Since 1997, SFWMD has invested $101 million to support 263 water reuse projects.

Some of the major projects to increase water reuse that received funding from the SFWMD Governing Board include the Toho Water Authority, which provides about 26 million gallons of reclaimed water per day for irrigation and aquifer recharge in Osceola and Polk counties. Additional reuse project locations include the City of Cape Coral that reuses over 25 million gallons of reclaimed water and excess stormwater for irrigation and the City of Pompano Beach for an expanding reuse system which currently reuses 2.4 million gallons per day for irrigation in the city and adjoining coastal communities.

Last year, Florida also established the Potable Reuse Commission that consists of utilities, environmental groups and other stakeholders including the state's five water management districts to develop a regulatory framework to increase water reuse and meet the state's future water supply needs.

Learn more about Water Reuse in South Florida.

For more updates on SFWMD's work:

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Media Contact:

Randy Smith | rrsmith@sfwmd.gov | Office: 561-682-2800 | Cell: 561-389-3386

The South Florida Water Management District is a regional governmental agency that manages the water resources in the southern part of the state. It is the oldest and largest of the state's five water management districts. Our mission is to protect South Florida's water resources by balancing and improving flood control, water supply, water quality and natural systems.

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