Public Utilities - Reclaimed Water

Morningside Reclaimed Water Expansion Project

Attention residents of Morningside or other Clearwater neighborhoods:
Please fill out and return our Reclaimed Water Letter of Commitment and assist us in bringing reclaimed water to your area!

With all of the water in and around Florida, it's difficult to imagine that our drinking water supply is a limited resource that must be conserved. If we pump too much water from underground aquifers, we risk negatively impacting our wetlands and reducing our limited supply of clean drinking water. The City of Clearwater, in an effort to protect our high quality drinking water supply and our quality of life, has developed an Integrated Water Management Plan. Part of this plan includes expanding the city's reclaimed water projects. Reclaimed water is recycled water that is used for irrigation purposes only – it is not drinking water. By using reclaimed water on our lawns and landscaped areas, we can save our drinking water supply.

Combined, Morningside and Grovewood communities will be the ninth reclaimed water project of the city's Integrated Water Management Plan. Once in effect, the citywide Integrated Water Management Plan will reduce groundwater withdrawals for irrigation purposes, reduce discharges to Tampa Bay, help manage the cost of water and still leave us with the water we need indoors and out. Clearwater has budgeted for and acquired grants for this project, but to move forward, the community has to assure the City that at least 50 percent of neighbors want to participate. This is the last opportunity to have reclaimed water extended into the Morningside and Grovewood communities. Once this opportunity has passed, it's unlikely to return. Below is important information specific to the Morningside/Grovewood Reclaimed Water Project.

Morningside/Grovewood Reclaimed Water Project's Scope of Work

The City of Clearwater is currently in the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Water Use Caution Area. Because of this, Clearwater must limit the use of groundwater supplies (drinking water) for irrigation. To limit groundwater use, Clearwater has entered into an agreement with the Southwest Florida Water Management District for the Morningside Reclaimed Water Project.

• The Morningside Project will deliver approximately 589,700 gallons per day (gpd) of reclaimed water to the Morningside and Grovewood communities and The Oaks condominiums.
• The project area includes the Morningside and Grovewood neighborhoods, located south of State Road 60 to Nursery Road and west of U.S. 19 to Belcher Road.

Project Cost

• The cost of the Morningside Project is $4,500,000, with the project cost divided equally between the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the City of Clearwater.
• Each month, reclaimed water users will pay a base fee of $15.08, plus an additional $.47 per 1,000 gallons used.

Project Schedule

• The Morningside Project began its design phase in April 2005, and construction award is anticipated next spring.
• The Morningside Project completion date is Dec. 31, 2008.

Co-Funding Requirements

• Fifty percent of residents living in the Morningside community must be connected to reclaimed water within one year of project completion, and the three-year post construction report must show a 50 percent reduction in Morningside's drinking water usage.
• Reclaimed water must still be conserved - a water conservation education program will also be implemented as part of the Morningside project. The metering of reclaimed water also will help users conserve.

Well Data/Lakes

• The Morningside neighborhood has approximately 700 homes. Sixty-one of these homes are located on a total of two lakes.
• In Morningside, there are 73 lawn meters connected to the potable water system, and 330 irrigation wells.
• Grovewood area has 124 homes, of which 120 have irrigation wells and three homes have lawn meters connected to the potable water system; one home was not verified.
• Morningside homeowners currently connected to wells are exempt from the monthly $15.08 base fee.
• Homeowners using lake/pond water for irrigation are not exempt from the monthly $15.08 base fee.
• Reclaimed water usage is allowed seven days a week between the hours of 4 p.m. and 10 a.m.; currently, potable water irrigation is allowed one day per week and well/pond irrigation is allowed two days per week.

Public Involvement and Communications

• The City of Clearwater began attending Morningside Homeowners' Association meetings in June in an effort to educate the Morningside community about the project. Below is a list of meeting dates.
• Met with Morningside HOA July 7 and Sept. 6, 2006.
• Met with Grovewood HOA July 11 and Sept. 19, 2006.
• Additionally, Clearwater Utility representatives have had numerous conversations with HOA leadership and interested residents.
• The City of Clearwater is still conducting public meetings to continue the education process.
• Petitions have been circulated to identify interested Morningside homeowners.
• Public survey cards were mailed out to all homeowners impacted by the project.
• When reclaimed service is requested, a reclaimed water service technician meets with the customer, answering any questions and providing him/her with Clearwater's reclaimed water policy.