Purified Water
JEA provides an estimated 357,000 customers with over 120 million gallons of safe, high-quality drinking water every day. And while we have plenty of water right now, a growing population and economy will increase demand in the future.
However, conservation alone will not assure a sustainable supply for generations to come. JEA is working to ensure a stable water supply source for generations to come.
The video below illustrates how JEA is working to ensure a stable water supply source for generations to come.
Water Supply Today
Virtually all the water JEA supplies to customers comes from a vast underground source called the Floridan aquifer. It is our best and most cost-effective source. Continually recharged by rainwater, this very pure water requires comparatively little treatment
to meet federal and state standards.
Learn How JEA's Water System Works
Water Supply Options for the Future
There are several possible solutions for ensuring a sustainable water supply in the future. While JEA has already implemented robust conservation initiatives and an expansive reclaimed water system for irrigation purposes, one promising approach is purified water.
Other potential solutions include surface water treatment and desalination, however each of these comes with higher costs and complexity. As other utilities have demonstrated positive environmental impacts through water purification, JEA has committed
resources to evaluate purified water as a potential alternative source of water for Northeast Florida.
JEA Purified Water Program
We have completed R&D testing in 2019 of two industry-leading purification technologies. Following an extensive evaluation of both technologies, treatment performance, and cost, JEA has chosen the membrane treatment system to move forward with a 1 MGD facility demonstration facility. Procurement is underway to get this innovative technology project started. The technology is shown below and involves ultrafiltration, low-pressure reverse osmosis and advanced oxidation.
Demonstration and Commercial Implementation
Both the R&D and Demonstration Facilities are cooperative efforts with the St. Johns River Water Management District, focused on identifying other sustainable water resources to support the water needs of the state for the future. The Demonstration facility, branded Project H2.0 provides the opportunity todemonstrate the ultra high purity and cost effectiveness of the technology, while engaging the public in this process. The facility will have an extensive visitor engagement center for this purpose. Source water for the demonstration facility will be taken from the reclaimed water system, and purified water will be returned to the reclaimed water system (i.e. it will not be used in the potable system).
Meeting the Needs of an Expanding Population
Following the demonstration phase, if the evaluation — along with public and stakeholder input — proves that water purification is the best way to meet our communities future needs, JEA will be prepared to begin commercial implementation well ahead of
our region’s water needs. Purified water has potential benefits of:
- We will have a sustainable water source for future generations.
- We will continue enjoying safe water produced in a cost-effective manner.
- Water we now discard will be reused.
At JEA, public health and safety is our highest priority. We will continue to monitor water quality regularly to ensure we provide safe, reliable drinking water to our customers.