Using reclaimed water saves water that the public needs for other uses. The City of Clearwater encourages all residents with access to reclaimed water to use it—for ten very good reasons.
- You’ll save money. If you water your lawn, using reclaimed water could cut your water bill in half. That’s because it costs so much less than drinking-quality water.
- Millions of gallons of water can be saved each day. When neighborhoods decide to use reclaimed water, they can save up to 10 percent of the area’s drinking water supply.
- You’ll delay the need for costly new drinking-quality water sources and treatment plants. We live in an era of increasing water demand, and it is wasteful to water lawns with drinking-quality water if reclaimed water is available. As the voluntary reuse program develops, it can help delay future costs by reducing the need to find new water sources and to build new treatment plants.
- Less watering restrictions will be necessary. With reclaimed water, you can water every day during the hours of 6 p.m. to 8 a.m.
- You’ll help preserve quality of life. Overuse of water resources can seriously impact plants and animals that depend on healthy systems for survival. Relying on reclaimed water for irrigation can save natural resources and systems.
- You’ll have good-quality water for irrigation. Reclaimed water has no odor or color and has nutrients in it that fertilizers do; you’ll need to fertilize your lawn less if you use reclaimed water.
- It is a better use of treated wastewater. Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection recognizes the need to capture this resource instead of wasting it and encourages all communities to reuse this highly treated water instead of wasting it.
- Well-water users can benefit from reuse. If you are currently using a well to irrigate, you can get better water pressure than most well pumps generate and more irrigation coverage with a reclaimed water system.
- You don’t need an in-ground sprinkler system. Residents without sprinkler systems can take advantage of reclaimed water by attaching a hose to a connection located within the reclaimed water meter box.
- There’s no reason not to. Reclaimed water is a low-cost, easy-to-use way to water your lawn, wash your car, and clean your driveway.
To learn more about reclaimed water or to see if your neighborhood has or will get reclaimed water, visit the Public Utilities page at www.MyClearwater.com/reclaimed or call (727) 562-4960 ext. 7226.