A Peek Into Marco Island Utilities

By Maureen Chodaba

Reverse osmosis, lime softening, membrane filtration, aquifer storage and recovery. These are just some of the terms that we heard at the Marco Island Utilities Open House on May 3. Held at the North Water Treatment Plant at 807 E. Elkcam Circle, the informative event was well attended.

The event began with a systems presentation. Marco Island Utilities was originally owned by the Deltona Corporation, the original developers

of the island. In 1989, it was sold to a private firm. In 2003, the City of Marco Island purchased the water and sewer utilities from that firm. Marco Island’s water supply comes from surface water from the Marco Lakes/Henderson Creek area and ground water from the Floridian Aquifer. During the dry months, the City uses water from an underground storage system known as aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) wells. The water is pumped to these wells during the rainy months. Millions of gallons of water have been successfully recovered from ASR storage over the last several years. Our water is treated through a multi-step process of lime softening, membrane filtration, reverse osmosis, chlorination, and corrosion inhibition.

The North Water Treatment Plant is researching a process change for the future as part of their Capital Improvement Program. A pilot

study is underway to examine the possibility of shifting from a lime softening system to a membrane softening filtration process. Operational savings could reach upward of $1 million.

The event concluded with a tour of the facility, including a humorous introduction to the friendly owl decoy perched on a valve, and a climb to the top of the lime softening reactor tank. For more information about Marco Island Utilities, please visit www.cityofmarcoisland.com or call 239-394-3880.