A project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of Oldsmar will bring reclaimed water to up to 200 residents who live near the downtown area.
The project includes the design and construction of more than 13,000 linear feet of reclaimed water distribution lines and the installation of an automated system that will regulate the supply of reclaimed water, allowing for more efficient use and enabling the expansion of reclaimed water service.
This project is expected to provide approximately 71,336 gallons per day (gpd) of reclaimed water, which will offset 36,704 gpd of potable water.
This project, which is being funded over multiple years, is estimated to cost $667,000. As part of the agreement, the city will receive up to $333,500 from the District’s Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board, and will be divided between fiscal years 2008 and 2009. Funding in 2009 is contingent upon Basin Board approval. The project will receive an additional $76,000 in fiscal year 2008 from the Water Protection and Sustainability Program Trust Fund.
Construction is scheduled to begin in June and is expected to be complete by 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.