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Melbourne's Reclaimed Water
Reclaimed water, or reuse, is highly treated wastewater effluent that has been treated and disinfected. Reuse water is ideal for many non-drinking water applications such as landscape and crop irrigation, dust control and other similar uses. Reuse is beneficial in several regards. It provides an environmentally-sound means of effluent disposal and its application can take the place of non-essential uses of drinking water. Melbourne is taking advantage of these benefits by the construction and expansion of a reuse system utility. The City currently distributes up to 35 percent of its total daily wastewater treatment plant flow to its reuse customers. The City has tentative plans to distribute 100 percent by 2015.
 
Reclaimed Water Quality
Like drinking water, reclaimed, or reuse water also must undergo extensive testing by laboratory technicians to ensure the quality of this recycled product. 

Comparison tables are provided below with details of the maximum contamination levels as set forth by the federal Environmental Protection Agency, and rates how the reclaimed water produced at both City plants meets those guidelines. All values are given in milligrams per liter (mg/L).
 

Two City Plants Produce 2.5 Million Gallons Per Day
While a relatively tiny amount of reuse water is needed to feed the new pond at the plant, a very large quantity is produced to serve the needs of the plant's distribution service area. The D.B. Lee Water Reclamation Facility has a production capacity of 4.0 million gallons per day. The smaller Grant Street Wastewater Treatment Plant, located at the south end of the city, has 0.5 million gallons per day of reuse production capacity. The north reuse service area distribution system serves a variety of municipal, residential and commercial customers in north Melbourne. Approximately 30 miles of reuse mains distribute reuse to City parks, roadway medians, the operational areas of the Melbourne International Airport and the Harbor City Golf Course. In addition, more than 70 commercial and residential customers are served by the reuse system. Peak customer demand often exceeds reuse distribution capacity during dry periods. Production and distribution enhancements are part of the master expansion plan.

The south reuse service area distribution system serves the Melbourne Municipal Golf Course only. A reuse force main extends from the Grant Street plant to the 0.35 million gallon reuse storage tank at the golf course. The golf course has an irrigation demand in excess of 0.5 million gallons per day, so there is currently not enough reuse production capacity to serve additional customers in the service area. Capacity will be expanded in the future so that additional customers can be served. The improvements are programmed as part of a master wastewater treatment plant expansion plan.


Pond Demonstrates Viability of Reclaimed Water at the D.B. Lee Water Reclamation Facility
 
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Comparison to Primary Standards

      David B. Lee WWTP Grant Street WWTP
Chemical Constituent Max. Contamination Level (mg/L) Reclaimed Water Value (mg/L) Reclaimed Water Value (mg/L)
Arsenic 0.05 0.0022 <0.0029
Barium 1.000 0.0059 0.015
Cadmium 0.010 <0.00020 <0.0019
Chromium 0.050 0.00048 <0.00066
Fluoride 4.00 1.2 <0.60
Lead 0.050 <0.00033 <0.00033
Mercury 0.002 <0.000037 <0.000036
Nitrate 10.000 5.9 1.3
Selenium 0.010 <0.00044 <0.00044
Sodium 160.0 94 110

 Comparison to Secondary Standards

      David B. Lee WWTP Grant Street WWTP
Chemical Constituent Max. Contamination Level (mg/L) Reclaimed Water Value (mg/L) Reclaimed Water Value (mg/L)
Chloride 250.0 110 160
Copper 1.000 0.0058 0.0027
Fluoride 4.000 1.2 <0.60
Iron 0.300 0.033 0.074
Manganese 0.050 0.0067 0.017
Silver 0.050 <0.00024 <0.00024
Sulfate 250.0 49 50
Zinc 5.000 0.034 0.032
pH 6.5 - 8.5 7.40 su 7.44 su
Foaming Agents 0.500 0.10 0.13