Fostering Sustainable Water Resources in Miami-Dade County: A 20-Year Water Facilities Master Plan Update

The Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (MDWASD) is the largest water and sewer utility in the southeastern United States. MDWASD currently provides drinking water to a service area population of approximately 2.3 million in Miami-Dade County.The growth in water demand, coupled with increasingly complex environmental issues and more stringent regulatory requirements, make it necessary for MDWASD to develop a comprehensive plan that incorporates alternative water supplies for sustainable water resources.The approval by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) of the 20-year water use permit (No. 13-00017-W) on November 15, 2007 and the corresponding alternative water supply (AWS) plan outlined the area's water sources and associated infrastructure projects. The alternative water supplies include the Upper Floridan aquifer, groundwater and indirect canal recharge, and aquifer storage and recovery. As a long-term option, the plan will consider how to reclaim significant wastewater flows now being discharged via ocean outfalls.