Florida's Reuse Activities

Reuse has become an integral part of wastewater management, water resource
management, and ecosystem management in Florida.
During the past 20 years, Florida has risen to be recognized as a national
leader (along with California) in water reuse. Approximately 667 million
gallons per day (mgd) of reclaimed water was reused for beneficial
purposes in 2008. This represents an average per capita reuse of 35.45
gallons per day per person. Reusing 667 mgd of reclaimed water is
estimated to have avoided the use of over 125 billion gallons of potable
quality water while serving to add more than 79 billion gallons back to
available ground water supplies.
The total reuse capacity of Florida’s domestic wastewater treatment
facilities has gone from 362 mgd in 1986 to 1,536 mgd in 2008 which
amounts to an increase of 324 percent! The current reuse capacity
represents about 62 percent of the total permitted domestic wastewater
treatment capacity in Florida.
Florida's Reuse
Reclaimed water from public access reuse systems was used to
irrigate 260,456 residences, 477 golf courses, 805 parks, and
285 schools. Irrigation of these areas accessible to the public
represented about 55 percent of the 667 mgd of reclaimed water
reused.