Florida Water Resources Journal - October 2021

Page 30

FWEA FOCUS

All Water is One Water Ronald R. Cavalieri, P.E., BCEE President, FWEA

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y the year 2040, Florida will need an additional 1 billion gallons per day of potable water supply to meet the projected demands. The rich quality of life that we enjoy here, and across the United States, is dependent on ensuring that sufficient clean water is available for all reasonable and beneficial uses within our community, while protecting natural systems and the environment. Water is the life of a community. The development of an integrated (One Water) management approach is critical to meet projected water needs, as well as to support Florida’s future economic success.

Florida’s Population Growth According to the University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR), Florida’s population is expected to grow from its current 21.6 million (Bulletin 190, June 2021) to 26.4 million by 2040. Florida represents about 6.5 percent of the U.S. population (estimated at 331.4 million in 2020) and is ranked third behind California and Texas. According to the U.S. Census, Florida’s population grew by 14.9 percent from 18.8 million in 2010 to its current population.

What Florida’s Population Increase Means Florida’s increasing population has important implications for planning and public policy.

The population growth affects the demands for education, healthcare, housing, recreation, and transportation, with impacts to the environment and potable water supply. The Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research (EDR) projects that the state’s potable water demand will increase by more than 15 percent between 2020 and 2040, reaching 7.4 billion gallons daily. The increased demand is having a significant impact on the state’s water utilities to supply the projected demands and has brought about both new legislation and innovative water supply approaches. According to the regional water supply plans and water supply assessments developed by Florida’s water management districts (WMDs), the water needs of the state can be met through the 2040 planning horizon by a combination of traditional and alternative water sources. This, however, assumes that appropriate management, continuing conservation efforts, and necessary investments are made. These efforts are related to alternative water supply projects identified in the regional water supply plans. Because none of the WMDs can meet future demands solely with existing source capacity, these extra efforts are critical, beginning now and continuing through 2040.

Focus on Water Quality and Protecting the Environment Water quality has continued to be considered a high-profile issue in Florida by the governor, the Legislature, news media, and the public at large. Several environmental bills have been passed by the Legislature, including the Clean Waterways Act (SB 712) in 2020 and the Reclaimed Water Bill (SB 64) in 2021. The Clean Waterways Act addresses several environmental issues, including provisions specifically related to water quality improvement. Provisions related to wastewater are as follows: S R equires local governments to create wastewater treatment plans for certain best management action plans (BMAPs), but authorizes different cost options for projects that meet pollution reduction requirements. S P rohibits, beginning July 1, 2025, wastewater treatment facilities from discharging into the Indian River Lagoon without providing advanced waste treatment. The bill imposes new requirements on wastewater facilities and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to prevent sanitary sewer overflows and underground pipe leaks.

30 October 2021 • Florida Water Resources Journal

S Directs FDEP to develop requirements for the establishment of asset management programs and associated reporting for domestic wastewater collection systems. The emphasis of the reclaimed water bill is on elimination of wastewater treatment effluent surface discharges and incentivizes the beneficial reuse of reclaimed water. The bill requires domestic wastewater utilities that dispose of effluent, reclaimed water, or reuse water by surface water discharge to: S Submit a plan to FDEP to eliminate nonbeneficial surface water discharges by Nov. 1, 2021. S Fully implement the plan to eliminate discharges by Jan. 1, 2032. S If no plan is submitted or approved, it must eliminate discharges by Jan. 1, 2028. The reclaimed water bill also: S Specifies that potable reuse is an alternative water supply for purposes of making reuse projects eligible for alternative water supply funding. S Incentivizes the development of potable reuse projects. S Incentivizes residential developments that use graywater technologies. S Specifies the total dissolved solids allowable in aquifer storage and recovery in certain circumstances.

One Water Approach The concept of One Water (integrated water management) has been around in Florida for many years. The state is a recognized nationwide leader in reclaimed water/reuse and currently reuses approximately 884 million gallons per day (nearly 50 percent) of its reclaimed water for various beneficial uses. Water recycling is an integral part of Florida’s wastewater, water resource, and ecosystem management. The FDEP is currently engaged in rulemaking for implementation of potable reuse programs; however, the stress of increased population demands and an emphasis on protecting the environment has brought about a heightened awareness on the value of water and the need for a One Water approach. According to the Water Research Foundation, One Water is defined as: “An integrated planning and implementation approach to managing


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Display Advertiser Index

4min
pages 62-64

News Beat

5min
page 58

Realizing the Benefits of Process

6min
pages 55-57

APWA Selects New Members for Board of Directors

5min
pages 52-53

Reader Profile—Bartt Booz

4min
page 54

Meet Morgan Barnes, Florida’s 2021 Stockholm Junior Water Prize Winner—

12min
pages 48-50

Developing Effective Funding Strategies for Compliance With the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions—Christopher Hill,

23min
pages 40-46

C Factor—Kenneth Enlow

10min
pages 35-39

Test Yourself—Donna Kaluzniak

3min
page 34

Leadership Awards Nominations Being Accepted

2min
page 33

Contractors Roundup: A Contractor’s Perspective on Florida’s Shift to Increase

3min
page 32

FWEA Focus—Ronald R. Cavalieri

6min
pages 30-31

Committee Profile: FSAWWA

1min
pages 28-29

FSAWWA Speaking Out—Fred Bloetscher

8min
pages 22-25

CEU Challenge

2min
page 15

Let’s Talk Safety: Climb Into Confined

4min
pages 26-27

2022 Florida Water Resources Conference Call for Papers

2min
page 14

Guidelines for Use of Mini-Horizontal Directional Drilling for Placement of High-Density Polyethylene Pipe for Water

12min
pages 8-13

FSAWWA Fall Conference Water Distribution System Awards

1min
page 19

First Florida, Then Nationals: Winners of FWEA High School Video Contest Triumph at WEF Competition—Shea Dunifon

2min
pages 4-5

Florida Water Resources Conference Welcomes New Executive Manager

1min
pages 6-7
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