Polk County Utilities, Florida, USA – Exploring direct potable reuse
Polk County’s Cherry Hill Direct Potable Reuse Pilot is a $2.59 million project that is cooperatively funded in part by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The purpose of this 0.014 million gallons (0.054 million litres) per day field-scale treatment facility is to explore the development of purified recycled water for long-term water supply planning.
This is the first direct potable reuse pilot in Florida to be located at a drinking water facility rather than at a wastewater treatment facility. It is also the first project developed for One Water Polk, an initiative demonstrating Polk County’s commitment toward sustainable solutions in central Florida. As the population in Florida increases, natural water quantities are beginning to reach the limits of sustainability, particularly regarding Polk County’s traditional source of drinking water, the Upper Floridan aquifer. This is the main driver that motivated the County to consider a feasibility study using DPR to secure alternative water supplies to meet the growing demand for water while protecting lakes and wetlands from harm.
The Cherry Hill Direct Potable Reuse Pilot uses a carbon-based treatment approach, including the following six processes: Enhanced coagulation, ozone, biofiltration, ultrafiltration, granular activated carbon, and ultraviolet disinfection. One year of testing, beginning August 2023, will be performed in phases to identify the most efficient/effective treatment method(s).
Water treated at the Direct Potable Reuse Pilot is strictly for testing purposes and does not enter the public water system. Up to 1.5 million gallons (5.6 million litres) per day of reclaimed water is the anticipated capacity available to supplement groundwater supplies in Polk County’s Northwest Regional Utility Service Area. Pending the results of the pilot, a permitted full-scale Direct Potable Reuse facility would produce purified recycled water to augment traditionally sourced drinking water from their existing Cherry Hill Water Production Facility, which is part of a water system serving over 35,000 residents. Polk County is pleased to offer educational tours of the direct potable reuse Pilot facility.
Polk County Programs and Rebates
Related resources:
Technical snapshot – Facts and Figures