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Wastewater Treatment& ReclamationBACKGROUNDOf the pollution sources toSarasota Bay (wastewater,stormwater, and atmospheric),wastewater contains the highestconcentrations of nitrogen. In theBay area, wastewater is treated atregional treatment plants, smallerneighborhood-size treatmentoperations with drain fields, andseptic tanks.Technical work completed bythe Sarasota Bay Estuary Programin 1993 identified opportunities toimprove wastewater treatment andreclamation to reduce the amountof nitrogen pollution enteringSarasota Bay. Total nitrogenloads in 1993 were estimated tohave increased to 680 percentabove pristine conditions. In1995, nitrogen pollution haddecreased 25 percent due tolegislation enacted in 1990 (theGrizzle-Figg Act) requiring allwastewater treatment plants withdirect discharge to meet AdvancedWastewater Treatment (AWT)standards. This section explainshow additional reductions havebeen achieved since 1995. Figure 22. Septic tank drain field.22Excess nitrogen in Sarasota BayThe central and northern portionscauses an overabundance of algae,of the Sarasota Bay watershedwhich reduces light penetrationare predominantly under centralto submerged seagrass (reducingwastewater treatment, includingcoverage) and depletes dissolvedLongboat Key, Anna Maria,oxygen available for fish and otherBradenton, unincorporated Manateeaquatic life. The effects of nutrientCounty, Lido Key, and the City ofpollution (nitrogen) on SarasotaSarasota. The wastewater is treatedBay resources were also recognizedat two facilities, Manatee Countyin state and federal laws governingSouthwest Treatment Facilitythe operation of wastewaterand the City of Sarasota Regionaltreatment plants. However, similarFacility. Improvement of theserules requiring nitrogen removalfacilities paid high dividends fordo not apply to septic systems andthe Bay, while Sarasota County issmall treatment plants with drainin the process of creating a regionalfields (Figure 22); septic tanks arewastewater treatment system inregulated based on human healthrelation to the southern bays.risks. Research by SBEP in the early1990s determined that a series ofsmall treatment plants and septictanks can contribute as much ormore nitrogen to some areas ofHOUSESarasota Bay as a large wastewaterfacility. Therefore, plants wereprioritized for removal or upgradebased on their impact to the Bay. POND or a DrainfieldDRAINFIELDSEPTICTANKSeasonal High Groundwater Table 2 ft.EFFLUENT PLUMEGroundwater FlowSource: SBEP-Bay Repair2010Not toKitscale2014 CCMP - SBEP

Wastewater Treatment & ReclamationPROGRESS REPORTIWastewater treatment facilities inthe region were upgraded to meetstandards required by the GrizzleFigg legislation beginning in 1990.By 1993, most major facilities were incompliance, including the ManateeCounty Southwest TreatmentFacility, servicing the mainland fromthe City of Sarasota north and thebarrier islands in Manatee County(Anna Maria and Longboat Key).In combination with the City ofSarasota Regional Facility (alsoservicing Lido Key), the two plantsprovided treatment for about 80percent of the Bay surface area.In the early 2000s, localgovernments throughout the regiontested aquifer storage and recovery ofwastewater as a means of eliminatingdischarge. Changes in arsenicstandards by the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA) prohibitedfull utilization, so deep-well injectionemerged as the alternative backup disposal option in summer wetweather. During the rainy summermonths, the area does not haveenough surface storage capacity tomanage recycled water as demanddeclines for alternative supply.2014 CCMP - SBEPFruitville Wastewater Treatment Plant, Sarasota County.Direct wastewaterdischarge is expected tobe eliminated by 2016.Sarasota County’sseptic tank replacementprogram for PhillippiCreek is approximately65 percent completed.The deep-well option provides forsafe disposal of wastewater.Sarasota County began purchasingsmall wastewater treatment plantsin 1999, to convert those facilitiesinto pumping stations to transportwastewater to regional facilities. Tomeet the demand, Sarasota Countybuilt the Bee Ridge wastewatertreatment facility, a state-of-theart Advance Wastewater Treatment(AWT) facility with reuse and deepwell backup.By utilizing deep well injection,wastewater loads have been reduced95% with additional reductionsanticipated with removal of thetwo remaining discharges (City ofSarasota and Siesta Key) in 2016.Hazen & Sawyer Environmental EngineersWastewater TreatmentPlant UpgradesSarasota Countyn 1990, wastewater contributedabout 50 percent of the totalnitrogen polluting Sarasota Bay.Nitrogen pollution from septicsystems and small wastewatertreatment plants was significant inPhillippi Creek, Roberts Bay, andWhitaker Bayou. Implementationof the Wastewater Treatment andReclamation Action Plan has resultedin most of these nitrogen sources beingreduced by 95 percent.Installation of sewer main, LockwoodRidge Road, Sarasota County.23

Wastewater Treatment & ReclamationPROGRESS REPORT (continued)is transported by ground waterinto tributaries and Sarasota Bay.Analysis of soil types, percolationAnother major componentrates, and horizontal-groundwaterof this action plan is to addresstravel times established a 900-footreplacement of septic systems assafety distance between a septicwell as small treatment plants(Figure 23) not specifically designed tank and a nearby water body. Thisinformation was used in prioritizingto remove nitrogen (Figure 22,areas to receive central wastewaterpage 20). Nitrogen from septicsystems through septic-tanksystem drain fields and treatmentreplacement programs.plants with percolation pondsSeptic Tanks andSmall Treatment PlantsPhillippi Creek, Sarasota.Sarasota CountyPhillippi Creek Septic System Replacement ProgramAREA UNDER DESIGNFUTURE DESIGN/CONSTRUCTIONAREA UNDER CONSTRUCTIONCOMPLETED CONSTRUCTIONDr. Martin Luther King Jr. WayCity of SarasotaN. Beneva Rd.17th St.Fruitville Rd.Cattlemen Rd.Bahia Vista St.Webber St.Siesta Dr.Bee Ridge Rd.The 188-million PhillippiCreek septic tank replacementprogram is approximately 65 percentcomplete, with funding available tocomplete 82 percent of the program.In concert with this program,Sarasota County is consolidating itswastewater treatment plants whileproviding options for reclaimingwastewater. The number of treatmentplants has been reduced from 120 to25, with only nine plants remainingin the Sarasota Bay basin.Septic tanks and small,ineffective wastewater treatmentplants also posed a threat to publichealth. Due to elevated bacterialevels, in 1998 Phillippi Creekwas posted with warning signsindicating the water was unsafefor bodily contact because ofconsistently high bacteria levels.Total nitrogen (and bacteria) levelshave improved in the PhillippiCreek watershed, and PhillippiCreek has been delistedas “impaired” for nutrients.Clark Rd.Gulf Gate Dr.Figure 23.24Source: Sarasota County2014 CCMP - SBEP

Wastewater Treatment & ReclamationReclaimed WaterWastewater wasdetermined to be a valuedsource of alternative supplyto reduce demand onthe aquifer.will be) injected into the groundinto an impermeable saline aquiferapproximately 2,500 feet below thesurface, thus eliminating most directdischarge into Sarasota Bay. Only twodirect discharges remain, with theirremoval scheduled in 2014.In conjunction with the alternativewater supply systems, the municipalitiessurrounding Sarasota Bay have alsoSouthern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA)HILLSBOROUGHPOLK Manatee Agricultural Reuse SystemMANATEE City of Sarasota ReclaimedWater System (for urban andagricultural reuse)HARDEE Bradenton Reclaimed Water System.DESOTOCHARLOTTEMost Impacted Area (MIA)Figure 24.2014 CCMP - SBEPHIGHLANDerSARASOTAaceRiv Sarasota County’s MasterReuse PlanApproximately 65 percent of thewastewater used in the Sarasota Baybasin is reclaimed for alternativesupply. The remainder of the waterfrom treatment plants is (or soonUpper Peace RiverPINELLASPeStudies conducted by MoteMarine Laboratory in the 1980sshowed decreased salinity inSarasota Bay, suggesting increasingamounts of freshwater inflow.In the early 1990s, the SouthwestFlorida Water Management District(SWFWMD) had advised thecommunity that over-pumpage ofthe Floridian Aquifer was causing theintrusion of saltwater into the aquifer.The Sarasota Bay watershed wasincluded in the Southern Water UseCaution Area (Figure 24), wherestringent water conservation andcontrol measures for withdrawalswere implemented.Wastewater became a valued sourceof water for alternative supply toreduce demand on the aquifer. Aconnection was then made betweenreclaiming wastewater and improvingthe Bay’s water quality (and seagrasshabitats) by reducing or eliminatingdischarge of wastewater into the Bayor tributaries.The SBEP and SWFWMD cochaired a task force comprised localgovernmental staff in the region,resulting in development of aregional plan to reclaim wastewater.Major features of this reclamationplan included:developed a regional water-usesystem through the Peace ManasotaRegional Water Supply Authority.This collaboration included thedevelopment of the Peace RiverOption to augment the ManateeCounty Reservoir, Sarasota CountyCarlton Preserve, City of BradentonReservoir, Carlton Reserve, andthe City of Sarasota’s Verna WellField. As part of the regional effort,water conservation programs wereimplemented that cut per capitaconsumption from 150 g/day to 86 g/day, reducing the amount of effluentpossibly polluting the Bay.The replacement of septic tanksand small wastewater treatmentplants in Sarasota County alsoprovided increased opportunities toreclaim wastewater, as the systemshave greater capability to processwastewater for alternative supply.Southern Water UseCaution Area (SWUCA)Ridge Lakes Areawithin SWUCAUpper Peace RiverSource: SWFWMD25