ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Would you drink water that started off as wastewater? Some Florida cities are looking into ways to convert water from your toilets and sinks into drinking water. Many water management districts say it’s because some parts of the state could run low on water in the next couple decades.
Despite potable reuse water not being legal to drink in Florida yet, a growing number of cities in Central Florida already have the technology to convert wastewater.
The city that’s pioneered the idea for the whole state is right here in Central Florida, Altamonte Springs.
City Manager Frank Martz walked us through the city facility, showing us step-by-step. The finished product is water that looks like what you get straight from the tap.
The city says it meets Florida drinking water standards.
But before it ever gets to that point, it starts as dark, slushy wastewater.
Martz showed us the facility where all the sewage and stormwater--from Altamonte Springs, Maitland, Eatonville, parts of Winter Park, and parts of Seminole County -- end up.
The city “aerates” the wastewater, breaking it down and supercharging it with oxygen. Then, it makes it to the clarifying tanks and skimmers, removing any plastics or other debris still left in the water.
“Every time it goes through some sort of gravitational step or mechanical step, we’re taking some piece of the water out,” Martz said.
Then, it’s heavily disinfected and run through multiple filters until it’s reclaimed water. This is what you can use to water your lawn.
But, at this point, it doesn’t quite meet drinking water standards.
The Pure Alta project runs it through even more filters.
“Activated charcoal, activated carbon,” Martz said.
The water interacts with a natural disinfectant called ozone before it makes it to the last step, UV radiation. This is the final layer of cleaning. It also removes any pharmaceuticals still left in the wastewater.
“Why do you think that we as a society are at this point where we’re having to talk about converting wastewater into potentially drinking water?,” Channel 9 asked.
“Our region is trying to grapple with is kind of the notion of-- how are we going to grow, and the entire economy of Florida is built on tourism and development,” Martz said.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection reports that by 2040, 4 million more people will call Florida home. As the state grows, so does the demand for millions of gallons of water every day.
A state report found ground water resources like aquafers won’t be able to keep up.
“So, either we close the state or figure out how to develop it in a more sensible and thoughtful way, and that’s what this does,” Martz said.
Other projects have followed Altamonte Springs. St. Johns River Water Management District used Daytona Beach as a testing site in a two-year pilot program. Daytona Beach says the city no longer has the equipment.
Polk County built a pilot facility in late 2023.
Records show Orange County officials held a meeting with commissioners in May, updating them on where the technology is at. However, Orange County officials say they’re not planning on moving forward on a project like this anytime soon.
As of now, it’s not legal in Florida for this water to flow through our faucets.
But that may change.
Just this year, the Florida legislature recognized the product of this process, potable reuse water, as a “source of water” that may assist in meeting future demand for water supply.
Lawmakers ordered the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to set up “advisory groups” to explore what rules and regulations the state needs to establish before moving towards legalizing this.
Regulations won’t be the only hurdle.
A state report repeatedly mentions “public perception.” It’s even labeled as the “yuck factor”.
Martz says they’re already thinking years ahead by educating the adults of tomorrow. Many Seminole County students walked the same tour we did.
“It is demystifying it for kids and encouraging them to be enthusiastically curious about the world around them,” Martz said.
We asked to get a sample of Altamonte Spring’s finished water to independently test. The city told us the system was undergoing maintenance work.
Again, this water is not legal to drink as of now. Cities like Altamonte Springs are combining the converted water with their reclaimed water systems used for irrigation.
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