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CBIRS Request 343

Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #343

Lake Region Water Treatment Plant

Requester:

Carol Ann Wehle, Executive Dir

Organization:

South Florida Water Management District

Project Title:

Lake Region Water Treatment Plant

Date Submitted

1/12/2006 5:05:27 PM

Sponsors:

Aronberg

Statewide Interest:

This project is regional in scope, is intended to meet a documented need of statewide interest, is intended to produce a measurable result and has tangible community support.

Recipient:

South Florida Management District

Contact:

Ernie Barnett, Policy Director

3301 Gun Club Road, MSC 1160

Contact Phone:

(561) 951-2840

West Palm Beach 33406

Contact email:

ebarnett@sfwmd.gov

Counties:

Palm Beach

Gov't Entity:

Yes

Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit):

Project Description:

South Florida Water Management District is requesting $5 million as partial funding for a new Lake Region Water Treatment Plant to serve the existing and future needs of Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay. These three cities have been designated as Rural Areas of Critical Economic Concern under Governor Jeb Bush's Executive Order Number 01-26. The new Lake Region Water Treatment Plant will produce a high quality treated water from deep groundwater and will eliminate the drinking water quality problems, particularly trihalomethanes, associated with using surface water from Lake Okeechobee as a source of drinking water. The use of groundwater will also eliminate any conflicts between the use of Lake Okeechobee as a source of drinking water and the needs of Everglades restoration along with operation of the Lake for use as a stormwater storage reservoir. The use of groundwater will also eliminate the threat of running out of water to Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay that occurred during the 2001 drought. Likewise, Lake Okeechobee is an unreliable source of water during and after hurricanes when the Lake water becomes full of sediment and dead fish that clog intakes. Recently, Lake Okeechobee has been subjected to blue-green algal blooms, some of which are potentially toxic, that also caused both taste and odor problems for the water produced. The Lake Plant will take water from the Floridan aquifer, a deep groundwater source, treat it using reverse osmosis, in order to produce a potable water that will remove color and other impurities and meet existing and future water quality standards.

Is this a project related to a federal or state declared disaster?

Measurable Outcome Anticipated:

Public health and water availability concerns are the major reasons for proceeding with the Lake Region Water Treatment Plant. Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay all use Lake Okeechobee as a source of raw water for drinking water. Lake Okeechobee receives stormwater inflows from major agricultural areas including dairy farms, livestock pastures, sugar cane fields, small vegetable farms, and sod farms and is heavily nutrient enriched as well as highly colored. Organic material in the water gives rise to trihalomethanes (THM) in the water upon treatment with chlorine; THM are cancer-causing chemicals according to the U S. EPA. Blue-green algal blooms, potentially toxic, are becoming more frequent. Sediment and debris cause clogging of the intakes during and after hurricanes. All three treatment plants are aging and may not be able to achieve future water quality standards that will become more stringent. During severe droughts, all three utilities are threatened with losing their water supply. This project will provide safe and abundant water supply to the needs of these three communities.

Amount requested from the State for this project this year:

$5,000,000

Total cost of the project:

$48,988,000

Request has been made to fund:

Construction

What type of match exists for this project?

Federal

Cash Amount

$23,400,000

Was this project previously funded by the state?

Yes

Fiscal Year:

2005-2006

Amount:

$200,000

Is future-year funding likely to be requested?

Yes

Amount:

$2,300,000

To Fund:

Construction

Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?

Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?

Is there a documented need for this project?

Yes

Documentation:

Lake Region Water Treatment Plant Conceptual Analysis Report presents need for the project.

Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?

Yes

Hearing Body:

South Florida Water Management District Governing Board

Hearing Meeting Date:

12/14/2002

Is this a water project as described in Section 403.885, Laws of Florida?

Yes

Has the project been submitted to the Department of Environmental Protection?

Yes

DEP identifying number:

OT20022147

Is this project eligible under section 403.885(5) F.S.?

Yes

Is your project addressed in a state, regional or local plan (such as a SWIM plan, Comprehensive Plan, local master plan, etc.)?

Yes

Name the plan and cite the pages on which the project is described:

Palm Beach County Utility Master Plan

If you are requesting funding for a stormwater or surface water restoration project:

Which Water Management District has the jurisdiction of your project?

South Florida Water Management District

Have you provided at least 50% match?

Yes

Match Amount:

23400000

Match Source:

SFWMD-ad valorem/Federal, local funding

Will this project reduce pollutant loadings to a water management district designated 'priority' surface water body?

If you are requesting funding for a wastewater project:

Does your project qualify for funding from DEP's 'Small Community Wastewater Treatment Grant Program' under section 403.1838 F.S.?

Other wastewater projects:

Have you received previous legislative funding for this project?

Is the project under construction?

Have you provided at least a 25% local match?