ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Utilities Commission announced a new push to provide safe drinking water for decades to come as Central Florida’s population continues to grow.
What You Need To Know
OUC announced a push to adopt reverse osmosis in a plant near Lake Nona
It could generate up to 10 million gallons of drinkable water each day
OUC plans to drill down 2,000 feet into the aquifer, then purify the mix of fresh and salt water into drinkable water
The second largest municipal utility in Florida has plans for a multi-million dollar reverse osmosis water plant near Lake Nona. Officials say it could generate up to 10 million gallons of drinkable water per day.
Dr. Tom Missimer, Professor Emeritus at Florida Gulf Coast University, is an expert on the technology. He has helped build 20 reverse osmosis plants in Florida since 1978. Missimer says the technology is not new.
Missimer is familiar with the OUC plan.
“Engineering wise, the process is a very well-defined process, and right now they’re in the process of trying to answer all the questions,” he said.
Missimer said that the deeper they drill down into the aquifer, the saltier the water is likely to be, and that can add to purification costs.
“The idea is to select a zone there that yields a sufficient amount of water of the best quality you can get and then treat that,” he said.
Brad Jewell is OUC’s Director of Water Production. He says purifying the saltier water deep down will add some costs.
“The actual construction cost is going to increase over a typical water treatment plant and also the day-to-day treatment costs will be more expensive too,” Jewell said.
OUC managers say construction of the 40-000-square-foot facility could cost $125 to $155 million, and it could be completed by 2033. Jewell says they’ll have to dig three new injection wells that each take a year to build, in addition to building the treatment plant.
“Plus, I have to drill another eight production wells out there. So, it is a long process. We’re not going to rush it. We’ve planned ahead for the future,” Jewell said.
Jewell said that it is too early to know if this project will increase customers’ bills in the future.
OUC plans to inject the salty water and minerals from the purification process back down into the aquifer at a deep level where the ground will hold that water. Managers say that is the most cost effective approach.