Florida Potable Reuse Commission: Ensuring the Future of Reuse in the State Randy Brown In the last 30 years, the number of people who have moved to Florida has continued to increase. In 1990, the state’s population was around 13 million, and today, it has grown to over 20 million. The state anticipates
another large increase in population (more than 7 million) in the next 35 years. As the state’s population has grown over the past several decades, so has the demand for fresh water—for drinking, irrigation, agricultural needs, and industrial use. Currently, two thirds of the state has been designated as a water resource caution area by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). These are areas that have critical water supply problems, or could develop problems in the next 20 years.
56 counties are impacted in part or whole by water conservation caution areas.
4 August 2020 • Florida Water Resources Journal
Potable reuse is an alternative water supply option that’s emerging in various areas around the United States. It may be able to help Florida meet its future water needs by providing resiliency during natural drought cycles. WateReuse Florida has followed the progress of potable reuse in Arizona and California, which are two of the first areas to use it, very closely. In early 2016, taking into account the current and future water needs of the state, the organization embarked on a process to develop a framework to support and
