The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved a renewal to a water use permit for the City of Auburndale.
The renewal incorporates a modification to the existing water use permit to increase quantities and add two proposed production wells for public supply use. The new permit is for an annual average quantity of 7,036,300 gallons per day (gpd), which is an increase of 2,007,200 gpd or 40 percent.
The city’s current adjusted per capita water usage is 165 gallons per person per day. The proposed quantities are based on a reduced adjusted per capita use of 150 gallons per person per day, which is a nine percent decrease.
The quantity increases are due to projected population growth in the serviced area from 25,647 residents to 35,860 residents by 2014. Although the city’s annual growth during the previous four years has been approximately 2.4 percent, the city has requested quantities based on anticipated growth of approximately 4.8 percent annually.
One of the conditions of the permit is that the city submits reports validating actual population growth. If the difference between the projected population as contained in the permit and the actual served population is 10 percent or greater at the end of calendar year 2009, the city is required to modify its water use permit. The application must contain revised population served estimates and projections, as well as the associated permitted quantities.
The renewed permit contains several other special conditions including a requirement that the city continue to maintain existing and proposed flow meters, submit monthly meter readings and an annual public supply report. It must investigate the feasibility of using reclaimed water; cap wells not in use; implement water conservation and best management practices; and submit a pumpage compliance report.
The permit covers 432 acres of city-owned land and 34,240 acres of serviced area in Polk County, in and around the city limits of Auburndale, State Road 559 (South Main Street) and Tampa Street.
The permit expires February 26, 2014.