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JEA has implemented a reclaimed water system that will reduce the amount of fresh water JEA withdraws from its groundwater wells and simultaneously reduce JEA's discharge of treated wastewater into the St. Johns River. Reclaimed water service is currently limited to certain new commercial and residential Developments located adjacent to, or, near our water reclamation facilities and public access reclaimed water transmission systems within JEA’s service territory.
Benefits of using reclaimed water for commercial non-potable uses include:
- Less expensive than potable water for holders of Consumptive Use Permits - up to 10 times cheaper.
- Not subject to watering restrictions.
- Reduction in the need for developing new sources of water for non-potable uses - decreased regulatory agency interaction for water use permitting.
- Reduction in the amount of water withdrawn from the Floridan Aquifer.
- Environmentally friendly - reduced discharge of treated wastewater into the St. Johns River means less impact on the environment.
Current basic eligibility requirements for commercial reclaimed water service are:
- Reclaimed water will replace groundwater withdrawals permitted in a Consumptive Use Permit (CUP) issued by the St. Johns River Water Management District, or, potable water from JEA.
Intended service location must be near, or, adjacent to JEA's reclaimed water transmission system in JEA’s service territory, or, customer must be willing to pay the cost of construction of pipelines to serve the location.
- JEA's reclaimed water system in Duval and Nassua County are low pressure delivery system (approximately 40 psi); customer must have the means to store and re-pump as necessary to meet pressure needs, such as a pond, or, a holding tank.
- Customer's intended uses and distribution system downstream of the meter must be in compliance with Chapter 62-610, Part III, Florida Administrative Code and local building codes.
- JEA customers who apply for reclaimed water must read and sign the Reclaimed Water Acknowledgement Form. Once completed, submit to JEA by fax (665-7017), mail (JEA, 21 West Church Street, Jacksonville, Florida 32202) or in person.
Requirements for residential reclaimed water service:
- Currently only certain Developments of Regional Impact (DRI) are planned to provide residential customers. Nocatee, Durbin Crossing, Aberdeen, River Town.
All residential customers shall be required to install a backflow device on the domestic water service (Double Check Valve Assembly). If the backflow device is installed within a pit, it must be installed according to W-15 standard.
- All reclaimed water irrigation systems shall be constructed using purple pipe and purple sprinkler heads.
- All irrigation systems connected to the reclaimed system will have outside controls accessible to JEA for routine Cross-Connection Inspection.
- Cross-Connection Inspections will be required when a new customer applies to have the service turned on in their name and biennially thereafter.
- These inspections will be on the customer’s premises and will consist of, but are not limited to:
Notifying customer of site inspection
- Checking Irrigation system for excess runoff
- Visual check for Cross-connection
- Test potable water for signs of reclaimed water
- Verify backflow device is installed and working properly
- Physical check of all outside hose connections
- Irrigation systems for single-family residential customers shall be in-ground irrigation systems. Hose bibs or other hand operated irrigation devices shall not be present on single-family residential irrigation systems connected to the reclaimed water system.
- JEA customers who apply for reclaimed water must read and sign the Reclaimed Water Acknowledgement Form. Once completed, submit to JEA by fax (665-7017), mail (JEA, 21 West Church Street, Jacksonville, Florida 32202) or in person.
Limitations of use Reclaimed Water
Use of reclaimed water shall be limited to irrigation of residential lawns, golf courses, common areas, landscaped areas, highway medians, rights-of-way, cooling towers, and other uses specifically approved by JEA and allowed under Chapter 62-610, FAC.
- Reclaimed water shall not be used inside any residential dwelling, or to fill swimming pools, hot tubs, spas, wading pools or other open waters where human contact or immersion may occur. Except when permitted to fill a storage pond and meets the advisory sign specification set forth in Part A-4.05 of JEA’s Water, Sewer, and Reclaimed Water Rules and Regulations.
- Reclaimed water shall not be applied to areas within 100 feet of any public outdoor eating, drinking, or bathing facility, unless aerosol formation is minimized.
- Reclaimed water shall not be applied to impervious surfaces that allow drainage to surface waters (e.g. sprinklers spraying into a roadway or parking lot).
For more information, please contact David Ashley at (904) 665-8484 or e-mail ashldd@jea.com.
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