Florida's Reuse Program
Reuse
is an integral part of water resources management, wastewater
management, and ecosystem management in Florida. It reduces
demands on valuable surface and ground waters used for drinking
water sources, eliminates discharges that may pollute valuable
surface waters, recharges ground water, and postpones costly
investment for development of new water sources and supplies.
State
Objectives
The
Florida Legislature has established "The encouragement and
promotion of reuse of reclaimed water and water conservation…"
as formal state objectives in Section 403.064(1), Florida Statutes (F.S.),
and Section 373.250, F.S. It is interesting to note that the
objectives are included in the statute dealing with environmental
and wastewater control, and the statute dealing with water resources
and water supply. Florida’s reuse program was implemented in
response to the state reuse objectives.
The
key components of Florida’s Reuse Program are discussed in the
following links:
Water Reuse for Florida: Strategies for Effective
Use of Reclaimed Water
The Reuse Strategy Report
is a useful and important document. The centerpiece of the report is a series
of 16 strategies designed to encourage efficient and effective use of
reclaimed water in Florida. It can also serve as a reference to the evolution
of Florida's Water Reuse Program, and a roadmap for the Water Reuse Program as
we move into the 21st Century.
Statement
of Support for Water Reuse
The
Florida Department of Environmental Protection along with Region 4
of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Florida Department of
Health, Florida’s five water management districts, the Public
Service Commission, the Florida Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services, and the Florida Department of Community Affairs
have developed the
Statement
of Support for Water Reuse in Florida. The Statement of Support
is a clear statement of the participating agencies’ support for
water reuse and their commitment to working together to encourage
and promote water reuse in Florida.
