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JEA presents regional ‘Water First North Florida’ recharge plan; feasibility study, partnerships underway
Summary
JEA told the TEU Committee that Water First North Florida would move roughly 40 million gallons per day of highly treated reclaimed water west for aquifer recharge, aims to address state mandates and springs’ minimum flows and levels, is in feasibility phase and carries an estimated $1 billion price tag with early partner commitments.
Rob Zamitaro, chief operating officer for water at JEA, told the Transportation, Energy and Utilities Committee on Feb. 3 that a regional reclaimed‑water project called Water First North Florida is intended to restore spring and river flows by moving treated effluent out of tidal discharge and recharging the aquifer to meet state requirements. “We have about 40,000,000 gallons currently going to tide,” Zamitaro said, describing the volume the partnership is studying for conveyance and recharge.
Zamitaro traced the project’s origins to Senate Bill 64 (2021), saying compliance with the law would have been an estimated $2 billion for Jacksonville alone and that a regional solution is more feasible. He said partners that helped scope the concept include the Suwannee and St. Johns River water management districts and several utilities, and that the districts and the Florida Department of…
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