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Southeast Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant Will Tap Deeper into Lower Floridan Aquifer, Taking an Innovative Approach to Accessing New Source of Groundwater
News Highlights:
- OUC Board approves start of construction on new reverse osmosis water treatment plant to be built in Lake Nona.
- Southeast Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant provides alternative water supply to meet demand from Central Florida population surge. (Census.gov)
- Proven filtration technology will be a solution sourcing more water and supports OUC’s commitment to diversify water supply.
ORLANDO, Fla. – To keep pace with increasing water demand as Central Florida’s population grows, OUC’s Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday (4/9) to approve a new alternative water supply project. To be built at an existing repump station on 15 acres in Lake Nona, the 40,000-square-foot Southeast Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant is estimated to be a $125 million to $155 million investment at completion, with the initial plant design phase totaling $8.1 million. The project is set to begin construction in noviembre 2025 and be completed in 2033.
The Southeast Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant will drill up to 2,000 feet into the ground, allowing OUC to reach even deeper into the Lower Floridan Aquifer and access an untapped source of brackish groundwater. Once retrieved, the water, which is more minerally concentrated at this depth, will undergo a high-pressure, microfiltration process – and then pass OUC’s rigorous treatment and testing standards – before being used as potable water.
“As Florida’s population continues to increase, so too does the demand for safe, high-quality water – so we must prepare now for our region’s future needs,” said Clint Bullock, OUC General Manager & CEO. “As Orlando’s hometown utility, we’re committed to promoting water conservation, which is key, as well as pioneering sustainable solutions. Reverse osmosis takes an innovative approach to diversifying our water supply while providing our community with safe, clean, great-tasting water for years to come.”
The Southeast Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant is just one element of an integrated approach OUC is taking to meet increased water demand. Encouraging customers to conserve water – through conservation audits, educational programs with local schools, conservation best practices, and more – remains a top priority for OUC, as a provider and as a steward of Florida’s natural resources. Other initiatives include implementing leak detection technology to proactively identify leaks in the water distribution system and on customer properties, a block rate approach increasing the price per unit of water as consumption increases, upgrading water meters with next generation Advanced Metering Infrastructure, and encouraging participation among customers in the City of Orlando’s reclaimed water program.
About OUC—The Reliable One
In junio 2023, OUC—The Reliable One celebrated 100 years of providing exceptional value to its customers and community through the delivery of sustainable and reliable services and solutions. The utility provides electric, water, chilled water, lighting and solar services to more than 400,000 accounts in Orlando, St. Cloud and parts of unincorporated Orange and Osceola counties. As OUC prepares for the next century, it remains committed to its goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 while supporting its community with conservation, sustainability and energy efficiency resources. Visit www.ouc.com to learn more