The Mid-Hawthorne Aquifer is showing signs of recovery.<\/p>\n
For the first time in years, the Mid-Hawthorne Aquifer is above the Maximum Developable Limit.<\/p>\n
According to the city, the water level in the Mid-Hawthorne Aquifer is above the MDL of -83.01 feet, which they attribute to getting North 1 West UEP customers onto city utilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis week marks the first time that our Mid Hawthorne Aquifer has been above the maximum developable limit in several years,\u201d City Manager Michael Ilczyczyn said Friday. \u201cThis is all attributable to the polices and decisions that we have been making in administration with policy leaders and the Water Management District in Lee County. Together we put together an action plan that would help protect that resource. What we are seeing is all the efforts have yielded what that plan was.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said with the aquifer being over the MDL, it starts a 60-day clock.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we remain above the MDL for the next 60 days, then the Water Management District will remove the Phase 4 water restrictions and go back the Phase 3, which will allow for some additional use of the aquifer,\u201d Ilczyszyn said.<\/p>\n
The decisions that the city made early on to protect the Mid Hawthorne Aquifer was to require any new wells that were drilled, go into a deeper production unit, so it would not pull from the aquifer that was restrained. He said they knew that a new home would not be competing for the same resources in the area of the aquifer that was seeing issues.<\/p>\n
The city is working on a plan to bring a north RO plant expansion online to serve additional areas. <\/p>\n
The city is planning and designing phases for the North Water Reclamation Facility that will help them treat wastewater and turn in back I not irrigation to send out to additional customers, Ilczyszyn said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have discussed a plan with council to fast track,\u201d he said, adding that once the fast track is done, additional units will be brought online. \u201cOur goal is to make sure we stay ahead of any water shortages crisis that has been seen in the recent past. We are trying to focus on infrastructure and focus on the areas that need it first based on the well depths, what we are seeing in the aquifer and making science-based decisions on where to go.\u201d<\/p>\n
The city has completed North 1 West of the Utilities Expansion Project and is moving into North 1 East.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll the residents in North 1 West received notifications that water was available and they have been connecting. Every single one of the homes that come off a well in the Mid Hawthorne Aquifer is one less \u2018straw\u2019 that is pulling water from that aquifer,\u201d Ilczyszyn said. \u201cThe next area going under construction is North 1 East \u2013 then shift on to the west side of the city to North 3.\u201d<\/p>\n
The city has been successful in obtaining several grants from the DEP to alleviate the cost on residents, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you compare the cost to what is to drill a well, redrill a well, put a pump in the ground and an RO system for the deeper water, the costs are very comparable. The long-term cost of not having water available is eliminated,\u201d Ilczyszyn said.<\/p>\n