Maintenance of Groundwater Quality Throughout Twenty Years of Reuse

The Loxahatchee River Environmental Control District (LRD) operates an 11 MGD AADF wastewater treatment facility and associated slow-rate public access land application (reuse) system located in southeastern Florida. Since 1984, the LRD has treated and disbursed more than 21 billion gallons of reclaimed wastewater, used to irrigate ten locations including golf courses and a large, mixed use community with schools, public parks, a stadium, and 4,000 residences. Prior to and following the addition of a site to the reuse system, groundwater quality was monitored on a quarterly basis at a background well and up to three compliance wells. Analysis of groundwater data collected at our reuse sites show the application of reuse water has no system-wide, negative effect on any of the monitored water quality parameters. Our findings demonstrate that environmental quality of groundwater has been maintained after more than 20 years of application of reclaimed water.