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The history of Cape Coral utilities at a glance

By Staff | Sep 18, 2020

In 1977, Cape Coral became the first municipality in the United States to use the reverse osmosis process on a large scale with an initial operating capacity of 3 million gallons per day. Provided by the Cape Coral Historical Museum

The Utilities Department was originally established in 1973. In 1994 it was restructured as a division under the Public Service Department (which was later renamed the Public Works Department). Then in 2011, Utilities once again became its own department.

Here’s a look at the history of the department responsible for one of the largest water, sewer and irrigation expansion projects in the county and a driving force that enabled the city’s growth:

Current Department Head: Jeffrey Pearson

First Department Head: Don Kuyk

Past Department/Division Heads: Steve Kiss, David Waldie, George Reilly, & Bill Peak

Water treatment history

The original Southwest Reverse Osmosis (RO) Plant was built in 1977 with a 3 million gallon per day (MGD) production capability to supplement the city’s existing 2 MGD Lime Softening Treatment Plant that had been in operation since the mid-1960s. In 1980, the city expanded the RO facility to 5 MGD. At that time, the city was experiencing problems with its Lime Softening Water Treatment Plant due to salt water intrusion into the wellfield (Upper Hawthorn Aquifer). The City also was experiencing a rapid growth in population. Faced with these two issues, the city decided to abandon the Lime Softening Plant and initiate a major expansion of the RO Plant.

Cape Coral would be the first city of significant size in the United States to make the decision to rely completely on reverse osmosis treatment as its only means of producing potable water. The decision paid off. By 1985, the city had the largest low pressure reverse osmosis plant in the world, capable of producing 15 MGD. The plant was producing water at a cost that was cheaper than the Lime Softening Plant and it had tapped into a source water supply (Upper Floridan Aquifer) that would provide enough water for many years to come.

Although production capability remained the same for more than 20 years, many changes took place at the plant during that time. The city kept pace with changing technologies and completed many upgrades and retrofits. These technology improvements included: more efficient low pressure membranes, variable frequency drives, computer automation, etc. Despite being the oldest plant of its kind, these changes allowed the plant to continue to be a “state of the art” facility producing high quality potable water at a reasonable cost.

Due to a rapid increase in population and a planned major expansion of the utilities service area, the city began design work in 2005 to expand the production capacity of the Southwest Plant from 15 MGD to 18 MGD. This increased capacity would ensure that the city had a sufficient supply of potable water until an additional RO Plant could be designed and built in the northern part of the city. The expansion at the existing SW Plant was completed in 2008. The new North RO Plant (12 MGD) was completed and on-line by March of 2010. The North RO Plant is expandable to 30 MGD to meet future water demands at build-out population.

Wastewater treatment history

The Everest Water Reclamation Facility was constructed as a 2.3 MGD treatment plant in 1975. After several expansions, the facility was upgraded to the current capacity of 13.4 MGD. The facility is currently at buildout capacity. The effluent water from the Everest Facility is conveyed into the City’s irrigation distribution network or injected to a deep well. In case of an emergency need, effluent water could be discharged to the Caloosahatchee River as a means of last resort. However, this has not been required since 2007.

The Southwest Water Reclamation Facility began operation with a permitted capacity of 6.6 MGD in fiscal year 1994. In fiscal year 2010 the facility was expanded to the current permitted capacity of 15 MGD. During the expansion in 2010, significant modifications were made to the facility. These modifications were made in a manner that allows for the plant to be expanded to a 20 MGD facility in the future.

The effluent water from the Southwest Facility is conveyed into the City’s irrigation distribution network or injected to a deep well. Eliminating the disposal of effluent to surface water bodies allows the facility to avoid permit requirements set forth by NPDES. Five canal pumping stations, installed by 1993, are placed in various locations along the city’s vast freshwater canal system are used to supplement the reuse system. Canal water is used when the demand for irrigation water is more than both water reclamation facilities can supply.

Interesting notes, accomplishments

The City of Cape Coral Southwest Reverse Osmosis (RO) Plant is the oldest continuously operating RO treatment facility in the world.

In 1992, the City of Cape Coral Utilities Department began providing reclaimed wastewater to residential customers. Over a 25-year period, it is estimated that recycling this wastewater has helped to save more than 20 billion gallons of potable water.

The City of Cape Coral is recognized as having one of the largest residential reuse/reclaimed systems in the country with an average usage of more than 26 million gallons per day.

The City of Cape Coral currently has more the 900 total miles of underground pipe in its utilities system.

The City of Cape Coral won FSAWWA’s Best Tasting Drinking Water Award in Region V for 2017.

The City of Cape Coral’s North RO Plant won FDEP’s Plant Excellence Award as the Best Large Community Water System in the South District (an area from Sarasota to Key West) for 2016.

The City of Cape Coral’s North RO Plant won SEDA’s Outstanding Membrane Plant Award as the Best Large Membrane Treatment System in the Southeast United States for 2017.

The City of Cape Coral’s North RO Plant won FW&PCOA’s Chairman’s Safety Award for most Exemplary Safety Training, Policies, and Practices in the State of Florida.

The Utility Department was recognized as a Water Resources Utility of the Future Today in October 2017 for its extensive and innovative Reuse system.

The Utility Department was awarded the David W. York Award by Florida Water Environment Association for Reuse Project of the Year in 2016.

The City of Cape Coral Water Reclamation Facilities were presented an Excellence award for Type I Domestic Wastewater Facility by the South District of FDEP in 2000.

Sources: City of Cape Coral through the Cape Coral Historical Museum