A reclaimed water project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Dade City is expected to offset about 300,000 gallons of potable water per day.
This project will provide approximately 500,000 gallons per day (gpd) of reclaimed water to the Little Everglades Ranch for irrigating the race track area and sod farm as part of a 20-year service agreement between the city and the ranch.
The project includes the design and construction of approximately 15,000 feet of transmission line, a one-million-gallon reclaimed water storage tank and a pump station. It also includes lining an existing storage pond, which will store approximately seven million gallons of reclaimed water.
This cooperatively funded effort is expected to cost $3,844,440, with the District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board contributing up to $1,922,220. This is the second year of funding for this multi-year funded project. Additional funding in future fiscal years is contingent upon Basin Board approval.
Construction is scheduled to begin in February 2009 and is expected to be complete by April 2010.
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.