Tampa Bay Region - Southwest Florida Water Management District

Benefits: Operation of a reclaimed water system requires the ability to meet a variable demand with a variable supply. Facilities
available to help manage the difference in supply and demand include system storage, disposal, and alternative supplies. Lacking a
sufficient combination of these facilities, reclaimed water suppliers must restrict commitments so that they do not run out of
reclaimed water. Plant City disposes of excess water by surface discharge, maintains up to 8 million gallons of finished product
water to maintain a reliable supply, and uses 12.5 million gallons of existing pond volume to provide up to a week of seasonal
storage. This system currently provides for a very reliable supply, however the City has determined that further significant increases
in irrigation, commercial, or industrial reclaimed water demand will require concurrent increases in wastewater flow, or further
system balancing through increased seasonal storage, use of alternative water supply, or both. This project seeks to maximize use
of existing supplies through development of these storage and alternative water supply options.
The amount of the potential benefit, in terms of increased reclaimed water supply available for irrigation, commercial, or industrial
use, will be estimated in the completion of this study.
Costs: The cost of this feasibility study is estimated at $40,000.
Describe your organizations efforts in developing, implementing and enforcing water conservation and flood protection
ordinances.
The City encourages potable water conservation through a conservation rate structure and through enforcement of water
restrictions by the Plant City Police Department. The City's Water Conservation ordinance requires all potable water users
consuming 25,000 GPD or more to develop and submit a water conservation plan. Conservation of reclaimed water is encouraged
through metering all services and the use of a conservation rate structure. The City's Water Conservation program includes
educational efforts to encourage the efficient use of both potable and reclaimed water. Water conservation education activities
include a combination of presentations to community organizations and one-on-one meetings with individual residential and
commercial customers exhibiting unusually high water use. The City has also recently implemneted a Water Budget for irrigation of
City owned and managed properties. Examples of some of the City's reclaimed water program brocures are provided in the
attached documents. New developments are required to install reclaimed water infrastructure as a condition of their development
approvals, where the City expects that reclaimed water supply will be reasonably available.
Funding Source
Prior Funding
FY2013
Budget
FY2014
Budget
Future
Funding
Total Funding
Alafia River 20,000 20,000
Applicant Share 20,000 20,000
Total 40,000 40,000
Matching Fund Reduction
Check here if requesting a reduction in matching funds requirement pursuant to s.288.06561, F.S.
Timelines
Feasibility Study
Milestone
Projected Date
Initiate Study 01/30/2013
Complete Study 07/30/2014
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