The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved a water use permit to increase Charlotte County’s water supply from the Burnt Store Wellfield to an average of 3.1 million gallons per day (gpd) of brackish ground water to meet its needs.
The county was previously permitted 914,000 gpd. The increase in quantities is due to an increase in the projected population through 2012.
This water use permit will allow construction of three new wells. One well will be located at Burnt Store Wellfield and two others will be located north of that facility. The brackish water will be desalinated and treated at the Burnt Store Wellfield to make it drinkable.
Brackish ground water is defined as ground water having a total dissolved solids concentration that exceeds drinking water standards but is less than seawater.
The county’s alternative water supply plan will provide reclaimed water to offset landscape irrigation water for developments within the Burnt Store Road Development Corridor such as Turn Bay.
Reclaimed water is wastewater that has received at least secondary
treatment and is used for a beneficial purpose, such as irrigation. By
offsetting demand for ground water and surface water, this alternative, non-
traditional water source reduces stress on environmental systems, provides
economic benefits by delaying costly water system expansions, and
eliminates the need to discharge wastewater effluent to surface waters.