A project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Aqua Utilities Florida, Inc. will bring reclaimed water to the Corporate Park in Lakewood Ranch.
The Lakewood Ranch Reuse Transmission Project includes the construction of 3,900 linear feet of 12-inch reclaimed water transmission main line and upgrading an existing pump station.
This project will provide approximately 570,000 gallons of reclaimed water per day for irrigation. This reclaimed water, along with surface water from a previous stormwater project funded by the District and Braden River Utilities, is expected to replace the need for potable water for irrigation at the corporate park. Together, the two projects will offset the need for 1.5 million gallons of potable water per day.
The project is a cooperatively funded effort between Aqua Utilities Florida, Inc. and the District’s Manasota Basin Board. The project is estimated to cost $370,847. The utility will receive up to $161,375 in financial assistance from the Basin Board. The project will receive an additional $54,644 from the state’s Water Protection and Sustainability Trust Fund. Construction is scheduled to begin this month and will be complete by December.
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.