A county’s largest capital improvement project is now fully operational.
The State Road 207 Water Reclamation Facility in St Johns County officially came online on May 11, marking a major milestone in the county’s long-term plan for water conservation and environmental protection. The $191.8 million project includes a new treatment facility, multiple pump stations, and almost 15 miles of wastewater and reclaimed water pipelines.
“By expanding reclaimed water capacity and reducing nutrient discharges, we are protecting our natural resources while ensuring our utility infrastructure can meet the needs of future generations,” Alan Flood, senior engineer for the St. Johns County Utility Department, said in a news release.
Funded through the Utility Department’s enterprise fund, the project was paid for by utility revenues rather than property taxes.
Located west of Interstate 95 at 3055 SR 207 in Elkton, the facility treats wastewater and produces reclaimed water for irrigation. Reclaimed water can be used for non-potable purposes such as irrigating golf courses, neighborhood common areas and residential lawns, helping to conserve drinking water supplies.
The facility has an initial treatment capacity of 3.25 million gallons per day, with the ability to expand to 6.5 million gallons per day as community needs grow. Officials say the reclamation of water for non-drinking uses protects the Floridan Aquifer, the primary source of drinking water for northeast Florida.
The project is expected to prevent more than one million pounds of nutrient pollutants, including nitrogen and phosphorus, from entering the Matanzas River over the next 20 years. This reduction will support water quality, wildlife habitats, and the overall health of local waterways.
The wider project also includes the Watson Road Master Wastewater Pump Station, the Tillman Ridge Reclaimed Water Booster Pump Station, and roughly 15 miles of 16-inch to 30-inch pipelines connecting the new facility to the county’s broader utility network.
The facility was delivered through a progressive design-build contract with Jacobs, a global engineering, architecture and construction management firm.
The facility helps the county comply with State Senate Bill 64, which encourages the beneficial reuse of treated wastewater and reduces discharges into rivers and other surface waters. By diverting treated wastewater for irrigation, the facility reduces demand on potable water supplies and helps lower the risk of aquifer depletion. The strategy not only conserves drinking water but also minimizes the discharge of nutrient-rich effluent into natural water bodies.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the facility is planned for late summer.
This story was created by reporter Lucia Viti, lviti@usatodayco.com. with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: St. Johns County opens massive water reclamation site
Reporting by Lucia Viti, St. Augustine Record / St. Augustine Record
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By Lucia Viti, St. Augustine Record | USA TODAY Network
