A project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Bay Laurel Center Community Development District will bring reclaimed water to residents who live in the Marion County communities of Candler Hills and On Top of the World.
The project includes the design, permitting and construction of a reclaimed water storage and transmission system, which will involve constructing a 2.5 million gallon ground storage tank, 3,500 linear feet of reclaimed water transmission line and converting the Bay Laurel Community Center Development District wastewater treatment plant into a reclaimed water pump station and storage facility.
This project is expected to initially provide approximately 750,000 gallons per day (gpd) of reclaimed water, which will be used to irrigate two existing golf courses and common landscaped areas. The project will offset 560,000 gpd of groundwater.
Over time, as the development matures, the reclaimed water plant is expected to be able to provide more water for irrigation.
This cooperatively funded effort between the Bay Laurel Center Community Development District and the water management district’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board is estimated to cost $2.2 million. Each partner will contribute $1.1 million.
The design phase of the project is scheduled to begin in May. Barring no delays, construction is slated to begin in May 2008 and be complete by the end of April 2009.
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.