FSAWWA Speaking Out—Greg D. Taylor

FSAWWA SPEAKING OUT Wastewater Treatment Creates High-Quality Water for Florida

Greg D. Taylor, P.E.

Chair, FSAWWA

Happy New Year! As a welcome start to 2023, I’d like to first thank section staff and the Manufacturers/Associates Council (MAC) for once again executing an exquisite 2022 Fall Conference, with record attendance and participation from our members. Congratulations to all of the award winners and to our “Best of the Best” Tap Water Taste Contest winner, Citrus County Utilities, which will represent us at the 2023 AWWA Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE23) in Toronto!

As the recently elected chair of FSAWWA, I would like to thank everyone for their faith and support. This is my first article for the magazine and it’s an honor to be able to share ideas and thoughts regarding the state of the water industry. The section and our sister professional organizations have strived to show the value of water, and we recognize our role as stewards. We have long since realized that water, in all its forms, is a precious resource. Florida, in particular, has been a leader in recognizing this and developing solutions to maximizing the benefits of water.

Water Comes From Many Sources

Our traditional water supply sources have primarily come from groundwater wells, with surface water supplies being the second largest water source. As the state’s population grows, our traditional resources have been strained as we strive to protect the environment. Over the past few decades, we have even looked to brackish water and ocean resources to supplement the state’s water supply. Conservation programs have shown widespread adoption to reduce customer demands and extend the availability of water. New technologies, in conjunction with old and new ideas on water, have helped drive solutions such as stormwater capture, reclaimed water distribution expansion, and potable reuse.

As the January issue is focused on wastewater treatment, this should be recognized as a vital component to solving the water supply issues around Florida. At many wastewater treatment facilities throughout the state, the effluent produced is of high quality and can be used as public access reuse water. This effluent has the ability to protect water supplies from saltwater intrusion, offset potable water demand through irrigation and gray water use, restore wetlands and other environmentally sensitive areas, or someday soon, be used as a supplemental potable water supply source through indirect or direct potable reuse.

Whichever use is the most beneficial for your community, thoughtful consideration is to be given to net benefits and costs. We truly live in a “one water” environment as we take the water from the environment, use it and produce wastewater, capture wastewater and stormwater, and then reintroduce the clean water back to the environment for us to use again and again.

Get and Stay Involved

As the new year begins, I encourage you to start and hopefully continue active communications with your political representatives. Section committees are conducting meetings and have started to debate regulations and funding opportunities. In order to implement the technologies and planning initiatives that are required for us to continue to manage this precious resource, we must work with our representatives to help prioritize funding resources for water.

We at FSAWWA want to wish a Happy New Year to you all! S