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Vero Beach staff detail PFAS study, well-field decline and staged water upgrades
Summary
City staff said a PFAS pilot study will be sized to expected withdrawals after finding the well field may produce about 5 million gallons; staff outlined next steps for treatment sizing, RO capacity adjustments, well redrills and berming to restore groundwater recharge.
City water and sewer staff told the council that a PFAS pilot study and capacity review will be tailored to the utilities’ realistic water yields after assessing current well-field performance. "My personal opinion is the well field decline is due to...the main relief canal," a staff presenter said, and added that the well field now likely produces about 5 million gallons, reducing the need to size treatment for 9 million gallons.
Staff said the PFAS technical memorandum to be prepared next year will identify whether granular activated carbon or ion-exchange systems are appropriate for the portion of the system tied to the surficial well field. The presentation proposed a combined system target that would raise RO plant capacity to roughly 7 million gallons and retain 5 million gallons via lime softening for a total treatment envelope of about 12 million gallons, with details to be refined in upcoming technical work.
On groundwater recharge, staff attributed part of the capacity decline to county stormwater changes and the main relief canal lowering historic water levels; they proposed staged berming and drainage-control measures — coordinated with the airport and its consultants — to restore recharge to the well field over time.
Staff also reviewed wastewater reuse and step-system basin strategies for outside-city areas, saying the city will prioritize basins that maximize nutrient-reduction grant competitiveness and noted the state’s available funding has shrunk from prior large rounds.
Why it matters: PFAS treatment and water capacity decisions will affect plant design, capital costs and long-term supply resiliency; groundwater recharge interventions require coordination with the airport and may leverage federal or state grants.
Next steps: Prepare the PFAS technical memorandum, refine RO/lime-softening sizing and pursue targeted grants for step-system basins outside the city.
