MELBOURNE, Fla. -- Starting Monday, the City of Melbourne is going to begin sending postcards to property owners to encourage them to connect and use reclaimed water.
- Melbourne officials to encourage reclaimed water use
- Freshwater supplies nearing capacity, says expert
- City says residents can save significantly by switching
Reclaimed water was developed 25 years ago and in April, Melbourne City Council approved a project to include reclaimed water infrastructure because water providers need to expand alternative sources of water to meet future demand.
Reclaimed water coordinator Leigh Ann McDonald explained the need will be dire in a few decades.
“Our freshwater supplies are nearing capacity. We are not going to be able to use them to meet the increasing demands. So we are looking at using the right water for the right thing,” McDonald said.
According to the city, 30 to 50 percent of residential water use is for irrigation purposes and reclaimed water, which is wastewater, can be used to water lawns.
Currently the city has more than 1,000 reclaimed water customers and is hoping to double that number since the reclaimed water infrastructure in the Hickory Street Complete Street project is completed. The project expands from Hickory Street to New Haven to NASA Blvd.
According to city officials, using wastewater that’s been filtered will save the city money, and those savings are passed on to the customer if they sign up.
“Six to eight dollars per thousand gallons that you use, but reclaimed water is $1.75,” McDonald said.
Although there are some initial fees to connect, city leaders say homeowners usually save significantly on their monthly water bills. By switching their irrigation system from potable water to reclaimed water, residents can save about $30 to $56 dollars per month.