Celebrating Florida Water Reuse Week in Sarasota County

This week (May 18-24) is Florida Water Reuse Week! To celebrate, let’s highlight the vital role of reclaimed water in conserving our precious water resources and protecting the environment.

Reclaimed water—treated former domestic wastewater—is used for non-drinking purposes such as irrigating lawns, landscapes, golf courses, and public spaces throughout Sarasota County. This sustainable practice helps offset the use of potable (drinking) water, preserving it for essential needs.

Key Benefits of Reclaimed Water in Sarasota County

  • Conservation of our freshwater supplies: By using reclaimed water for irrigation, we reduce the demand on traditional freshwater sources, ensuring their availability for future generations.
  • Support for sustainable growth: As Sarasota County continues to grow, reclaimed water provides a reliable and cost-effective alternative water source to meet increasing demands.
  • Environmental protection: Sarasota County injects excess reclaimed water into a deep injection well which helps to push back against saltwater intrusion.

Water Reclamation Facilities

Bee Ridge Water Reclamation Facility. [CREDIT: Sarasota County Government]
Sarasota County Public Utilities operates treats millions of gallons of wastewater daily at three water reclamation facilities:

  • Bee Ridge: 5550 Lorraine Road, Sarasota, serving northern Sarasota County)
  • Central County: 7905 McIntosh Road, Sarasota, serving central Sarasota County
  • Venice Garden: 375 Venice East Blvd., Venice, serving unincorporated areas of south Sarasota County)

An underground network of pipes and lift stations carries wastewater from homes and businesses to the treatment plants, regulated by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Wastewater Treatment Process

The accompanying infographic shows how wastewater is collected, sorted, treated, clarified, filtered, disinfected, stored and distributed in Sarasota County (view larger image in separate tab).

Infographic featuring an overview of wastewater treatment. Credit: Sarasota County Public Utilities

Reclaimed Water Storage and County Uses

Reclaimed water is stored in ponds and is used for irrigation throughout the county on golf courses, right-of-ways, and residential lawns. The reclaimed water is pumped to customer irrigation systems and ponds through a network of underground pipes. Reclaimed water pipes can be identified by their lavender or purple color. Reclaimed water is safe for watering grass and landscaping and reduces the demand for potable water. However, it is good to be mindful of the additional nutrients in reuse water. Nitrogen, which helps turf and ornamentals grow, can, when used in excess, contribute to nutrient runoff entering our stormwater systems. If you are irrigating your lawn with reclaimed water, you may be receiving sufficient nitrogen from irrigation alone, eliminating the need to fertilize. You can learn more and calculate your reclaimed water nitrogen contribution at tiny.cc/ufsaraext_bffres.

Per Sarasota Code, Water Policy 2.3.2: “The county shall reclaim treated wastewater for irrigation purposes as its primary method of disposal for treated wastewater. The use of deep well injection or surface water discharge shall be used only when opportunities to use reclaimed water for irrigation is not available.

The Central County Water Reclamation Facility also has an aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) well, where reclaimed water can be stored during wet weather and recovered for distribution to reclaimed water customers during dry weather periods of the year. A deep injection well is also available to dispose of excess reclaimed water during periods of heavy rain and low usage of the reclaimed water.

Why Reclaim is the Smart Choice

  • A reduction of the demand on water supplies used for drinking water
  • Enhancement of landscaping through irrigation
  • Reduction of saltwater intrusion
  • Reduced potable water bills
  • Protection of our natural resources
  • Reduced chance of overdrawing from our aquifers

Restrictions

Reuse facts and figures highlight Southwest Florida as a state and national leader when it comes to making the switch from potable, across sectors, communities and individuals. [CREDIT: Southwest Florida Water Management District]

Watering-day restrictions apply to all types of water, with exemption for those on reclaimed water. Drip irrigation, hand watering, and irrigating during plant establishment is exempt, as well. Regardless of your water source, it is recommended to irrigate only once per week with 3/4-inch of water, per UF/IFAS recommendations. During times of drought, or when reclaimed water is in high demand but low supply, you might be restricted from using reclaimed water to irrigate your yard.

To avoid losing water to evaporation, do not irrigate between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m, and follow current watering guidelines in Sarasota County. Limiting how much reclaimed water you use will prevent you from overwatering and help maintain a healthy landscape, while maintaining our precious water supply.

Population Growth

To ease the strain on our water resources, especially our potable (drinking) water, Sarasota County requires all new development to provide reclaimed water where a connection to an existing utility is nearby.

Per Sec. 126-85 (Water, Wastewater, and Reclaimed Codes) of the Sarasota County Code: “Developer shall provide central potable water, fire, reclaimed water, and central wastewater collection Utility Systems in all new Developments and must conform with the latest Sarasota County Unified Development Code… Connection shall be required where an existing Utility System is within a given distance… closest to the source of service and measured along an accessible right-of-way or easement, provided the Utility System has sufficient capacity to allow such a connection.

Learn more about hooking up to reclaimed water.


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Posted: May 20, 2025


Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, Water
Tags: Pgm_Water, Reclaim, Reclaimed Water


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