Where Does our Water come From?

Knowing where our water comes from reinforces the importance of maintaining a clean environment.  Florida has a tropical and sub-tropical climate with the dividing line running from Bradenton on the west to Vero Beach on the east.  The entire state of Florida has a rainy season that extends from May to October that can produce up to 54 inches of rain during this time of year.

The water cycle is a necessity for our survival.  Many times, it is described as a complex movement of water that moves through different processes.  In its simplest form, it is water that evaporates into vapor, forms clouds, and returns to earth as precipitation, such as rainfall or snow.  Particularly in Florida, more than 90% of our drinking water is supplied by rainfall that is absorbed into the ground and then filters through our soils to replenish the groundwater and the states various aquifers. 

 According to the FDEP, Florida’s water supply, replenished by rainfall, comes from the bountiful systems of rivers, streams, wetlands, lakes, springs, aquifers, and estuaries across the state.   Regardless to the amount of yearly rainfall, the growing population and the continuous development expansion in Florida, places a tremendous strain on the states ecosystem’s ability to provide enough quality and quantity of water. 

Every five years, each of Florida’s water management districts develops a unique regional water supply plan that establishes specific implementation efforts to continue to meet the growing demand for clean water.  Florida’s fresh water supply is mostly used for drinking, agriculture, and recreation which is delivered to us through our main sources like rivers, tributaries, wetlands, and the Florida aquifers. The unique plans from the water management districts also incorporate alternative sources like reclaimed water and water storage capabilities such as reservoirs.

Reclaimed water is wastewater that has been treated for reuse. Regardless to the strict standards the FDEP puts in place to ensure quality and safe reclaimed water, nothing can truly replace fresh water from Florida’s natural resources.  Reclaimed water is not suitable for drinking and it’s great for irrigation and other uses which helps our water reserves.

Clean water supply is critical for our overall heath and sustainability.  All our sources of fresh water potentially are replenished by rainfall.  Florida’s urbanization growth has dramatically affected the ability for rainfall to adequately absorb into the ground.  If rainfall has difficulty absorbing into the ground and inefficiently replenish the water supply, it must now run along streets, parking lots, and other impervious unclean and possibly polluted surfaces until it finds its way to a storm drain, basin, or eventually the ground.  Stormwater pollution has now become a major concern.  Our intricate stormwater system certainly assists in carrying our stormwater efficiently away but does not ensure it is pollution free. 

We understand that the permitting programs are put in place to prevent harmful pollutants from being discharged directly into our conveyance systems, and KCI is here to help you maintain a successful NPDES program.  Call us today at (888) 346-7779!

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