The Challenges of Rehydrating Coastal Wetlands and Reclaiming Biscayne Bay

To restore the altered surface water flow patterns to the Biscayne Bay in southeast Florida, the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (MDWASD) has embarked on a unique reclamation demonstration treatment project. The proposed Coastal Wetlands Rehydration Demonstration Project (CWRDP) will provide advanced treatment to the secondary effluent from the MDWASD South District Wastewater Treatment Plant (SDWWTP) and it will help determine if the appropriate level of treatment can be achieved on a consistent basis using some of the best available treatment technologies. The proposed treatment process includes nitrification, denitrification, ballasted flocculation, membrane filtration, ultraviolet irradiation, and a sidestream treatment train, including reverse osmosis, ion exchange, granular activated carbon and several advanced oxidation processes. The CWRDP will help identify and gauge the effects of highly treated reclaimed water on aquatic plant and animal species using aquatic toxicity analysis and continuous water quality monitoring.