Water-Related News

Polk County puts resource resilience on display with direct potable reuse pilot project


Photo source: WaterWorld.com

Innovative Florida pilot project showcases the advantage of integrating direct potable reuse at water treatment facilities.

Few places in the U.S. have a more dire need for securing sustainable water resources than Florida. More than 75% of the state’s drinking water supply comes from groundwater, a source increasingly pressured by rapid population growth, a major agricultural industry, and millions of visitors to the state’s many attractions.

With Florida’s daily demand expected to increase by another 1.1 billion gallons over the next decade, the search for alternative sources to augment this precious resource in many areas of the state has intensified. Over the past few years, more than a dozen jurisdictions have implemented pilot programs to evaluate the feasibility of various reuse technologies, including direct potable reuse (DPR).

One such effort can be found in Polk County, where the new $6.8-million Cherry Hill Water Production Facility (WPF) marks Florida’s first effort to test the feasibility of integrating DPR at a water treatment plant, rather than a wastewater facility as is typically the case. Operational since November 2023, the Cherry Hill pilot plant is providing valuable insights into an approach that could substantially reduce infrastructure construction and operation costs while also providing a viable long-term alternative water supply option.