Councilors Dive Deep into Water

The Marco Island City Council held two meetings on May 6 beginning at 2:00 PM. The first meeting dealt with City Code issues and potential updates to them. Council reconvened at 5:30 PM for its regularly scheduled meeting, starting on a high note with the Employee Service Awards to Christopher Bowden - 15 Years, Raul Perez - 10 Years, and Gabriel Sigler – Five Years. There were several proclamations as well. Council Chairman Jared Grifoni surprised City Clerk Joan Taylor with a proclamation declaring May 5 to 11 as Professional Municipal City Clerk Week.

Council Chair Grifoni also read the proclamation from the State of Florida declaring May as National Drowning Prevention Awareness Month. Local agencies throughout Collier have continued to work on education programs to reduce possible drownings throughout Florida and here in Collier. As part of this educational program, Dewey the Duck is making rounds throughout the county to raise awareness of educational programs and the Life Jacket Sharing Program. Five of those sharing sites can be found up and down the shoreline of Marco Island.

Another proclamation declared May 19 to May 24 as National Reuse Water Week. During this time period special educational opportunities regarding reuse water and its importance to the State of Florida will be highlighted throughout the region and here in Collier County.

Reuse water and its value to the residents of the State of Florida was highlighted by water professionals from Southwest Florida Water Management District, who were joined by the city’s Utility Manager, Jeff Poteet, as well as At-Large Board Member Charlette Roman from the Governing Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

During their presentation on the Purple Pipe System, the representatives of the Southwest Florida Water Management District provided interesting facts and figures regarding reuse water and its necessity to the future of Florida. On Marco Island alone, we pump two million gallons a day in place of fresh water. Reclaimed or reuse water uses include irrigation for landscaping and agriculture, ground water recharge, industrial processes, and environmental enhancements.

Today, Florida uses almost 891 million gallons of reuse/reclaimed.

The next regularly scheduled Council Meeting is Monday, May 20th, at 5:30 PM. A Budget Policies Workshop starts the day at 2:00 PM.