Water Conservation -- It’s a Year-Round Thing

By Commissioner Jeff Koons

As we emerge from one of the driest springs on record, our lakes, canals and surface water storage areas are frighteningly low. Last year, we got lucky when Tropical Storm Fay parked herself over the state for a week and refilled Lake Okeechobee. But we can’t expect an unusual rain event like that to happen again. That’s why it is so important to practice water conservation all year long. For many years, Palm Beach County government has been a leader in getting the most out of every gallon of water, and here are a few examples:

Reclaimed Water -- The Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department is saving millions of gallons of water each day by producing and distributing reclaimed water for landscape irrigation. Reclaimed water is cheaper to produce than drinking water, yet is perfectly safe for golf courses, parks and residential lawns. Reclamation plants in central and southern Palm Beach County efficiently produce several million gallons of reclaimed water per day. Currently, the county provides 1.5 million gallons each day to Century Village, Vista Center and Cypress Lakes for landscape irrigation. Next year, an additional 1.5 million gallons per day will be delivered to the Emerald Dunes and Fairway Drive golf courses. That’s three million gallons of water per day that is not being drawn from the tap.

The South County facility also sends secondary treated wastewater effluent to the nearby Wakodahatchee and Green Cay wetlands. The facility can clean up to 35 million gallons of wastewater per day. Approximately half of the wastewater coming into the plant is then recycled in the county's reclaimed water program.

Water Utilities is also installing an effluent polishing treatment facility at its east-central water reclamation facility to produce reclaimed coolant water for the new Florida Power & Light plant near 20-Mile Bend. The east-central facility will produce up to 27 million gallons of reclaimed water per day (average usage expected to be about 22 million gallons) delivered along 17 miles of new pipelines. Construction costs are estimated at $32 million, and FPL is paying the debt service on the revenue bonds.

Streetscape -- The Streetscape Section of the Engineering and Public Works Department maintains 140 miles of median landscaping in unincorporated areas. About two-thirds of the medians do not need irrigation because drought-tolerant vegetation such as sable palms and Bahia grass was planted. The remaining 45 miles or so are irrigated with flood bubblers: low-to-the-ground sprinkler heads that soak the root bases of plants without spraying water into the air where it quickly evaporates. There is also a new computerized telemetry system in place that allows technicians to “talk” to the irrigation system and make corrections from a central location. The computer constantly monitors the lines for unusual volumes often indicative of a leak. The break can be shut down remotely, preventing unnecessary water waste, until it can be repaired.

Water Resources Task Force – This volunteer group of water managers and engineers studies ways to protect our current and future water supply. One possibility they have suggested is to alter the water tables in certain areas during the dry season to maximize surface water storage capacity. The task force also recommends looking at creating a second regional reservoir out west. Right now, storm water in the C-51 Canal is being lost to tide, but several billion gallons could be diverted from the canal and stored in nearby limestone pits, then sent south as needed to replenish well fields in central and southern Palm Beach County and Broward County.

These are just some of the ways county government is conserving and preserving our most precious resource. I urge each of you to practice good water conservation at home, as well. Water Utilities’ brochure Water Wisely has some excellent tips. It’s available online at our Web site: www.pbcgov.com. Click on Site Index near the top of the page, then click on Publications, then Water Wisely near the bottom. As always, I welcome your comments and questions. Please feel free to contact me or my staff at 355-2202.