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Comprehensive Plan Potable Water Sub-Element Community Development Department Indian River County 30 In the last decade, there has been a significant increase in the number of potable water customers in the county and also a significant increase in per capita water usage. From 1995 to 2006, per capita/per day potable water use rose 40%. This could be due to any number of reasons. One such reason could be an increase in the number of homes, subdivisions, and commercial developments using potable water for irrigation purposes. According to the county utilities department, at least 50% of all water usage is attributed to irrigation. Another reason could be the increase in the number of residential units with swimming pools. Also, the increase in water usage may be attributed to an increase in the number of commercial and industrial users in the county since 1995. Currently, the county’s potable water system meets all federal and state regulations for safe drinking water. To ensure that safe drinking water standards are maintained, the county performs regular testing of drinking water. Although the county operated potable water system consistently provides clean safe potable water, there are some problems with private franchised water treatment plants and private wells. Generally, these problems relate to the quality of raw water and the efficiency of the water treatment process. Those problems are summarized as follows: • lower quality of treatment compared to regional water treatment plants and higher risk of groundwater contamination • lack of funds and interest on the part of private plant owners to upgrade, maintain, and retrofit facilities • age of treatment plants and frequent breakdowns • lack of centralized control • cost and insufficiency of the monitoring process • problems with operation and maintenance (lack of experienced personnel to operate all the private plants) Brine Discharge At present, the County Utilities Department is implementing the Spoonbill Marsh initiative, an innovative project that will treat brine from the North County RO plant in a coastal marsh system and reduce impacts on the lagoon. This project is being undertaken because FDEP would not renew the county’s permit to discharge brine directly into the lagoon. Although brine from the North County water plant will soon be treated in a coastal marsh system, brine from the south county RO plant will continue to be discharged into the south relief canal. The county is presently exploring alternatives, including mixing concentrate with stormwater and reclaimed water for irrigation, for disposing