Reuse, Reclaim, and Recharge

Two water reuse projects in Orlando, Fla., which use high quality effluent from water reclamation plants are described. The Orlando Easterly Wetlands comprises 17 nutrient removal cells which provide physical, biological and vegetative systems that polish effluent before it is discharged to a river system; a mixed marsh for additional nutrient removal and wildlife; a hardwood swamp which serves as a conservation area for wildlife; and a lake which settles out fine solids and serves as a wildlife habitat. The wetland supports threatened and endangered species and is open to the public for recreational and educational purposes. The Water Conserve 2 Distribution Center project provides irrigation water to agricultural properties, including orange groves and the greens of a large golf complex and also recharges the Floridan aquifer through 1700 acres of rapid infiltration basins across the region.