Port Orange Reclaimed Water 101

, Submitted on 2014/05/07 at 1:20 pm | In reply to R. Woodman.
Comments on Bob Fords reclaimed lake concerns
By:  R. Woodman
The plans for the reclaimed lakes that were underway when I left the city were conceptually sound. Let’s make sure we pay attention to the details. Can we get a handle on the water quality in the lakes. this ties into filter selection. There are water quality parameters that must be met in order to put it in the wetlands. We don’t want to damage that ecosystem. I’m not a fan of traveling bridge filters. They require more maintenance and are more likely to have breakdowns. Since this is a remote location, for safety reasons you don’t want someone called out in the middle of the night to repair it. If you are unable to maintain good water quality in the lake then you may need de-nitrification filtration
I would suggest working on water quality in the lakes and knowing where you stand with that before selecting filters. If you know what you will be filtering you can make an educated decision. There are all kinds of filters out there to choose from. When selecting don’t just ask if it will do the job, also consider the amount of maintenance needed, dependability and energy use.
One other thing to consider is the possible effects on our potable water production wells from the lakes and flooding the wetlands. We have two wells that we suspected may have been compromised by the lakes. The wetlands that are intended to be flooded are between the lakes and five other wells. There is not much buffer there. I’m sure that there are those that would argue the points that I have addressed here. I want to cover as many bases as I can think of right now so informed decisions can be made.