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2008 City Innovations Showcase
Water, Wastewater and Stormwater
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Utility Department Re-engineering
City of DeLand
The DeLand utilities director designed a program to cross train wastewater operators to monitor and operate the city’s seven water plants during the graveyard shift via existing computer facilities. This program is based on recommendations by a peer-review consultant to consolidate water and wastewater operations to eliminate redundancy and reduce cost. This has resulted in overtime savings and allows personnel formerly assigned to the graveyard shift to perform additional duties during the day and evening shifts. This program was implemented on a phased-in basis to allow cross training and to provide a transition for personnel affected. Overall, it was well received by utility staff and has accomplished the desired improvement and efficiency.
Contact: Keith Riger, P.E., City Engineer/Public Service Director
Engineering/Public Service Department
City of DeLand
120 S. Florida Avenue
DeLand, FL 32720
Phone: (386) 740-5813
E-mail: rigerr@deland.org
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Stormwater Improvement – Bay and Morin Street
City of Eustis
The City of Eustis, with support from the Lake County Water Authority and St. John’s River Water Management District, built a water retention pond to naturally filter out pollutants before stormwater runoff flows into Lake Eustis. The retention pond is designed in the middle of the city and is in close proximity to Lake Eustis, where many people take advantage of public access to the ramps, docks and parks. The city has landscaped around the pond using xeriscape-friendly plants and installed a fountain to further enhance its park-like atmosphere.
Contact: Chin C. Khor, P.E.
Senior Director of Public Services
City of Eustis
10 N. Grove Street
Eustis, FL 32757
Phone: (352) 483-5480
E-mail: khorc@ci.eustis.fl.us
Saving the Canal Banks
City of Margate
Over many years of stormwater runoff, canal banks begin to erode. The City of Margate started a canal bank restoration/refurbishment program, and budgeted $225,000 a year to perform this restoration. The program is funded by the stormwater utility fee. The city uses a geo-tube that acts as a filtering system for irrigation and rainwater runoff, protecting water bodies from fertilizer contamination. The restoration process involves the installation of a “barrier textile tube” that is placed at the water’s edge, dredging the canal to remove muck and sediment, and then placing the geo-tube filled with this sediment and muck. Finally, sod is installed over the tube when it is filled to capacity.
Contact: Raymond Brenner, Director of Public Works
City of Margate
5790 Margate Boulevard
Margate, FL 33063
Phone: (954) 972-8126
E-mail: rbrenner@margatefl.com
Stormwater Modeling and Monitoring
City of Mascotte
The City of Mascotte needed better water pressure, especially for new developments at elevations higher than the existing water tower. The city raised a water tower using growth-impact money, which saved the city more than $1 million. The water pressure throughout the city was raised 20psi. A company was hired to raise the tower with a system of cranes. Then, 50-foot legs were attached and the water tank was reattached in one day.
Contact: Marge Strausbaugh
City Manager
City of Mascotte
P.O. Box 56
Mascotte, FL 34753
Phone: (352) 429-3341
E-mail: marge.straubaugh@cityofmascotte.com
Software Provides Benefit to Wastewater Collection Division
City of Melbourne
Melbourne’s Wastewater Collection Division is using sewer camera software to save time and money, and to make jobs easier. The pipeline inspection reporting system has features that allow GIS integration. Crews will be mapping all of the city’s 6,000 manholes. They enter the location and attributes into the hand-held unit for uploading into the city’s GIS database. The unit also will be used to locate reuse meters, sewer force mains, backwater valves and reuse mains. Once the data is entered into the GIS system, it will allow locaters to easily find whatever they are looking for.
Contact: Jennifer G. Wilster
Environmental Community Outreach Manager
Public Works and Utilities Department
City of Melbourne
2885 Harper Road
Melbourne, FL 32904
Phone: (321) 674-5761
E-mail: jwilster@melbourneflorida.org
Water Treatment Plant Enhancement Study Pilot
City of North Port
The City of North Port’s Utilities Department launched a pilot testing program in 2007 to evaluate reverse osmosis (RO) water treatment in combination with river bank filtration. This pilot program is one of the first in the United States. Surface water from the city’s stormwater canal system is being naturally pretreated through the bank of the canal to reduce particulate matter, impurities and contamination before reaching the RO membrane treatment process. The city is hopeful that the results will lead to a more sustainable supply of drinking water and assist the region with water during dryer times.
Contact: Angel Carrasquillo, Assistant Utilities Director
City of North Port
6644 W. Price Boulevard
North Port, FL 34291
Phone: (941) 240-8015
E-mail: acarrasquillo@cityofnorthport.com
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Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion Web Site
City of North Port
To gain support for a 2006 bond referendum to finance a multimillion-dollar wastewater treatment system expansion, the City of North Port promised to keep its residents informed of the progress. After the referendum passed, the city developed an interactive Web site in 2007 to track the progress of the expansion. The Web site, www.itsmynorthport.com, includes a video with a “thank you” message from the utilities director and various thoughts from North Port residents and business owners about the need for important infrastructure. The Web site also includes an interactive map and information about the department.
Contact: Peggy Parillo, Utilities Public Relations Supervisor
Utilities Department
City of North Port
6644 W. Price Boulevard
North Port, FL 34291
Phone: (941) 240-8007
E-mail: mparillo@cityofnorthport.com
Water Meter Retrofit Program
City of North Port
In 2007, North Port Utilities began to replace manually read water meters with new meters that send consumption information by radio. More than 1,000 meters per year will be replaced over the next several years with the new radio-transmitter-equipped meters. The labor and cost savings resulting from the installation of the new meters will be substantial. North Port has more than 17,000 utility customers with meters that must be read every month. One route, with 650 meters, used to take 10 - 12 hours to read. With the new radio-read meters, this same route takes only 47 minutes.
Contact: Rick Newkirk
Utilities Field Operations Manager
City of North Port
6644 W. Price Boulevard
North Port, FL 34291
Phone: (941) 240-8010
E-mail: rnewkirk@cityofnorthport.com
Creating an Alternative Water Supply through Flood Mitigation
City of Orange City
Recent flooding issues near Mill Lake and Marshall Park Lake in Orange City prompted the city to investigate the causes of the flooding as well as possible improvements. The recommended improvement involved pumping excess runoff from both lakes to a water reuse facility that would provide an alternative water supply source for Volusia County and neighboring communities. This flood mitigation program demonstrates the advantages of implementing alternative water supplies as potential solutions to stormwater management projects.
Contact: Angel Smith
Community Relations Coordinator
City Manager’s Office
City of Orange City
205 E. Graves Avenue
Orange City, FL 32763
Phone: (386) 775-5410
E-mail: asmith@ci.orange-city.fl.us
Aligning Impact Fees with Construction Cost Index
City of Palm Bay
The Palm Bay Utilities Department recognized revenues generated were not keeping pace with rising construction costs. With impact fees from 1992 still in place and a 43-percent increase in construction costs, a proper adjustment to the fees was necessary. A study was conducted, resulting in a proposal to align the city’s impact fees for water, wastewater and reclaimed water with the Engineering News Record (ENR) Construction Cost Index. The new impact fees took effect in October 2007, and will begin indexing in October 2008. The city’s impact fees will automatically adjust each year in accordance with the ENR Construction Cost Index.
Contact: Jason Yarborough, Utilities Director
Administration Office
City of Palm Bay
250 Osmosis Drive, S.E.
Palm Bay, FL 32909
Phone: (321) 952-3410
E-mail: yarboj@pbfl.org
Importance of Water Demand Study
City of Palm Bay
In Palm Bay, thousands of homes do not have access to the city’s water services. With continued growth, demand for infrastructure improvements has increased throughout the city. To guide future development and improvements, the Utilities Department commissioned a water-demand study to identify areas in the city where citizens are most likely to hook-up for service and the price point for that service. The information gathered through the study provided a basis for revenue projections, helping determine if projected connections are sufficient to justify the project.
Contact: Jason Yarborough, Utilities Director
Administration Office
City of Palm Bay
250 Osmosis Drive, S.E.
Palm Bay, FL 32909
Phone: (321) 952-3410
E-mail: yarboj@pbfl.org
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Modifying Time of Payment for Utility Impact Fees
City of Palm Bay
The Palm Bay Utilities Department met a challenge when developers were not required to pay utility connection fees until a residential building permit was pulled. The city was often responsible for providing water and wastewater capacity long before any capital impact fees were collected. The city sought to modify this by requiring 25-percent payment of all impact fees when the permit application gains Florida Department of Environmental Protection approval. The remaining 75 percent of the fees are due within five days of approval of the final plat. This only affects residential projects with 100 or more equivalent residential connections.
Contact: Jason Yarborough, Utilities Director
Administration Office
City of Palm Bay
250 Osmosis Drive, S.E.
Palm Bay, FL 32909
Phone: (321) 952-3410
E-mail: yarboj@pbfl.org
Utilities Department Consumer Confidence Report
City of Palm Bay
Each year, utilities providers are required to produce a consumer confidence report for their customers. This year the Palm Bay Utilities Department chose to provide this valuable information about its water quality in a calendar format, demonstrating how important water is to our daily life. The calendar highlights the benefits of water quality and testing, water conservation and community outreach. For example, the month of October emphasizes National Fire Prevention Week and how city water helps ensure fire protection. The calendar serves as a visual reminder of how water enhances our quality of life.
Contact: Jason Yarborough, Utilities Director
Administration Office
City of Palm Bay
250 Osmosis Drive, S.E.
Palm Bay, FL 32909
Phone: (321) 952-3410
E-mail: yarboj@pbfl.org
Maria Sanchez Lake Weir Project
City of St. Augustine
The replacement of the Maria Sanchez Lake flood gate valves with a new automated weir gate system was completed in spring 2006. The weir gates, lake temperature and dissolved oxygen content as well as the water levels of the lake and adjoining marsh, now can be continuously monitored from an office in City Hall. Since the weir gate completion in 2006, the summer fish kills have been averted. Also, the lake water level was automatically lowered during heavy rainfalls in September 2007 to allow additional runoff from the streets.
Contact: Sam Lansdale
Assistant Director of Public Works
City of St. Augustine
P.O. Box 210
75 King Street
St. Augustine, FL 32085
Phone: (904) 825-1040
E-mail: slansdale@ci.staugustine.fl.us
The Ozone Generator Rebuild Project
City of Tampa
Over a period of eight months, a team at Tampa’s water-treatment plant used ingenuity and fabrication skills to complete repair work on an ozonator for a fraction of the equipment manufacturer’s cost. The precision work included carefully removing 9,100 glass-tube and steel-rod assemblies; completely disassembling, cleaning and reassembling them; and ensuring there were no fingerprints or specks of dust left behind. Among the tools used were an old washing machine, three horse troughs, a piece of PVC pipe, hand-fashioned wooden “saddles” to hold the rods and tubes, as well as skill and teamwork.
Contact: Brad L. Baird, P.E., Director
Water Department
City of Tampa
306 E. Jackson Street, 5 E
Tampa, FL 33602
Phone: (813) 274-8663
E-mail: brad.baird@tampagov.net
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