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Home My WebLink About11/09/2005 INDEX TO MINUTES OF SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES WORKSHOP OF BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF NOVEMBER 9, 2005 1.CALL TO ORDER........................................................................................ 1 2.INTRODUCTIONS BY W. ERIK OLSON, DIRECTOR OF UTILITY SERVICES ................................................................................... 1 5,STATEWIDE SUSTAINABLE WATER SUPPLY ISSUES – PAT GLEASON, PH.D., P.G., VICE PRESIDENT – CAMP DRESSER AND MCKEE (CDM) AND FORMER GOVERNING BOARD MEMBER, SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT ...................................................................................................... 2 6.STATE OF WATER MANAGEMENT IN FLORIDA - HENRY DEAN, J.D., FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SOUTH FLORIDA AND ST. JOHNS RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS .................................................................................................... 2 7.DISTRICT OVERVIEW OF WATER SUPPLY PLAN - BARBARA VERGARA, P.G., DIRECTOR OF DIVISION OF WATER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT, ST. JOHNS RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT ..................................................... 3 SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES 1 November 9, 2005 8.WATER CONSERVATION RULE - CATHERINE WALKER, P.E., ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF DIVISION OF WATER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT, ST. JOHNS RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT ...................................................................... 4 9.CLOSING REMARKS – UTILITY DIRECTOR ERIK OLSON.......... 4 SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES 2 November 9, 2005 November 9, 2005 SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES FOR INDIAN RIVER COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WORKSHOP The Board of County Commissioners of Indian River County, Florida, held a workshop to discuss timely issues related to the sustainability of Indian River County water th supply. The meeting was held in the County Commission Chambers, 1840 25 Street, Vero Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, November 9, 2005, at 2:00 p.m. Present were Vice Chairman Arthur R. Neuberger, Commissioners Wesley S. Davis and Gary C. Wheeler. Chairman Thomas S. Lowther arrived late and Commissioner Sandra L. Bowden was absent. Also present was Deputy Clerk Maria I. Suesz. 1. CALL TO ORDER Vice Chairman Neuberger called the meeting to order. 2. INTRODUCTIONS BY W. ERIK OLSON, DIRECTOR OF UTILITY SERVICES Director Erik Olson gave an introduction of the speakers and their topics (See page 1 of the backup). The purpose for this workshop was to give the water resources expectations for Indian River County and the State of Florida. He asked that questions be held for the end of the presentations. SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES 1 November 9, 2005 (Clerk’s Note: Chairman Lowther entered the meeting at 9:05 a.m.) 5, STATEWIDE SUSTAINABLE WATER SUPPLY ISSUES – PAT GLEASON, PH.D., P.G., VICE PRESIDENT – CAMP DRESSER AND MCKEE (CDM) AND FORMER GOVERNING BOARD MEMBER, SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT Dr. Pat Gleason stated Indian River County has been one of the first counties to implement reverse osmosis as an alternative water supply. Many utilities are turning to this technology now that there are so many areas that are water short in the State of Florida. Sustainable water can be available to meet demands over the next twenty years in Indian River County with timely development of advanced technologies, alternative water supplies, treatment of reclaimed water and water conservation. 6. STATE OF WATER MANAGEMENT IN FLORIDA - HENRY DEAN, J.D., FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SOUTH FLORIDA AND ST. JOHNS RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS Henry Dean, J.D ., stated the Water Resources Act of 1975 created the five Regional Water Management Districts and the Consumption Use Act. The State shifted from only being concerned about flood control to water consumption and quality in the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s. In the late 1990’s the State started doing regional planning for the future on how to sustain growth. The 2005 Legislative session passed Senate Bill 444 that appropriated $200,000,000 to local regions to develop alternative water supplies as needed to ensure a sustainable growth of water supply to meet the growing demands and not damage the environment. SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES 2 November 9, 2005 7. DISTRICT OVERVIEW OF WATER SUPPLY PLAN - BARBARA VERGARA, P.G., DIRECTOR OF DIVISION OF WATER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT, ST. JOHNS RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT Barbara Vergera, P.G ., gave an overview of St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) and Water Supply Plan. She is a part of a governing board of nine members appointed by the Governor whose #1 priority is water supply. They are required to identify water supply development projects that are adequate to develop water supply needs, water resource development projects and other strategies that would solve or avoid problems in identified Priority Water Resource Caution Areas (PWRCAs) or prevent identification of additional PWRCAs. She summarized the focus of the 2005 District Water Supply Plan. She gave the status of the water supply and resources in the 18-County jurisdiction of the St. Johns River Water Management District and Indian River County to see a comparison to other areas in Northeast Florida. She displayed a map of water resource caution areas that were identified in 1998 and the water supply assessment that is posted on the SJRWMD website. There was a question and answer period regarding the availability of water in Indian River County through 2025. The State is concerned with methods to store water and the cost of treatment. They foresee the concentrate disposal issue between brackish water and saline water is going to get harder. Many coastal utilities are looking at brackish brown water as an alternative source. Indian River County plans through 2025 are adequate with the continued use of brackish brown water. She discussed the 20-year plan established with staff and the issue of water levels working with SJRWMD. Since IRC is not a priority water resource area SJRWMD does not have a Water Supply Development Project for our County, and IRC is not entitled to any appropriated funding. In IRC the total population is expected to increase slightly by the year 2025, but the public supply population is projected to double. She expressed the importance of carefully coordinating with surrounding counties to ensure the cumulative impact is not going to SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES 3 November 9, 2005 be unacceptable when we do water supply planning. This concern has heightened over the past year. Baxter Caston’s In response toquestion,a resident in Sebastian, Barbara stated that the SJRWMD is geographically and hydrologically separated from the Okeechobee area. WATER CONSERVATION RULE - CATHERINE WALKER, 8. P.E., ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF DIVISION OF WATER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT, ST. JOHNS RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT Catherine Walker , Assistant Division Director, works in water use regulations. They evaluate requests for water and make sure those uses are efficient uses. She gave an overview of their regulatory program and how it works. She talked about the consumptive use permitting program (CUP), benefits and who needs a permit. They are looking for steps to lower demands, increase the beneficial use of reclaimed water and stormwater, water use permitting strategies to avoid impacts on ground water, and reduce future needs through increased water conservation. This rule will be defined in December. The County is encouraged to educate citizens, encourage landscape designing with native plants that require little supplemental irrigation, look for opportunities to use stormwater or reclaimed water and support the development of local ordinances that require native landscaping. She discussed the Landscape Irrigation Rule that was heard by the Board yesterday. It limits irrigation from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and no more than 2 days per week. They want the local governments to continue the program. This helps dampen peaks on utilities and spreads usage out over four days a week. Included in amendments adopted November 14, 2005 is a provision that the water user can demonstrate two days is not satisfactory and apply for a permit via the Internet. 9. CLOSING REMARKS – UTILITY DIRECTOR ERIK OLSON SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES 4 November 9, 2005 Director Erik Olson commented that proper planning by Indian River County in the past has placed us in a good situation. The message plan for tomorrow is plan smart and think ahead or you are going to find yourself behind an eight ball. Mike Hotchkiss , Capitol Projects Manager, stated Utilities has changed their growth methodology and has accelerated expansion plans due to developers buying land and reserving full capacity. Developers have paid $13 million in base utility charges in the last 8 months. The North County Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant expansion has been increased and the project is expected to go out to bid in November 2005. The three wastewater expansion projects to accommodate the accelerated growth in the County are Central Regional Wastewater Facility expansion from 2.0 mgd to 4.0 mgd; design of West Regional Wastewater Facility expansion from 2.0 mgd to 6.0 mgd, and design of North Regional Treatment Facility expansion from 0.85 mgd to 2.0 mgd. The projected capitol expenditures for the expansion project this year are $17 million, $8 million in 2010, and another $8 million in 2015. He discussed the retention of water supply. He discussed the use of alternative water resources to assure sustainability of IRC future water supply with the reverse osmosis treatment system to treat brackish water rather than fresh water, reclaimed water system, future development of the Spoonbill Marsh site as an alternative disposal for reverse osmosis concentrate, and implementing ways to capturing and storing runoff during the rainy period for future irrigation use during dry spells. (Clerk’s Note: Vice Chairman Neuberger left the meeting at 3:27 p.m. and Chairman Lowther stepped up to the dais.) Dennis Ohlrich, Indian River County,posed several questions regarding recycling water and controlling irrigation to ponds. Robert Johnson, Coral Wind Subdivision, felt Indian River County should be rewarded and exempted from the two-day water restriction because of their accomplishments. SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES 5 November 9, 2005 th James Sabonjohn, 2585 14 Street, Vero Beach wondered if agriculture declines by 1/3 in acreage in St. Lucie County, will it free up usage in the South County Reverse Osmosis Treatment Plant. Baxter Costan , Sebastian, was disturbed to hear that we need to restrict to a 2-day watering system from a 3-day system. He asked the decision be made by a referendum. Director Olson stated Indian River County has $40 million in projects planned this year. Dennis Ohlrich believed the reuse water is a negative issue and if we want to make it a positive he felt there was a lot of work to be done. Robert Adair , Supervisor, Indian River Conservation, discussed the South County well-field should it become incapable of drawing water. He was concerned with the use of artesian wells on prior agricultural lands after they have been rezoned. Rich Burk , Hydrologist in the Palm Bay area, responded to Mr. Adair’s concern, stating that artesian wells are capped and require a permit for a new use. Brian Combs felt our landscape ordinances need to be reviewed. David Cox stated that the Audubon Society, the Garden Club, and the Growth Management Committee has addressed he irrigation concerns and the increase usage of native plant material. They will be recommending LDR amendments to the Board at a later time. Chairman Lowther adjourned the meeting at 3:55 p.m. THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION IS ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF THE BOARD There being no further business, on Motion duly made, seconded and carried, the Board adjourned at 4:00 p.m. SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES 6 November 9, 2005 ATTEST: _________________________________ ________________________________ Jeffrey K. Barton, Clerk Thomas S. Lowther, Chairman Minutes Approved: _________________ BCC/MIS/2005Minutes SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES 7 November 9, 2005