Water supply
Coquina Coast Seawater Desalination Project
As part of an effort to address future water demands in the greater Flagler County area, the St. Johns River Water Management District has partnered with several county and local governments to investigate and prepare preliminary design documents for a desalination facility.
Flagler County was designated as an area where groundwater alone will not be sufficient to meet projected water supply needs. In 2005, the District and all governments with water supply systems in Flagler County endorsed an agreement to develop a countywide water supply plan. Upon completion of that plan in 2007, local government cooperators determined that seawater desalination would be the most feasible alternative water supply project to pursue.
The District is providing up to $2.2 million in cost-share funding and administrative services for the development of a detailed plan for a seawater desalination facility, and up to $14 million for construction.
The Coquina Coast project partners have hired Malcolm Pirnie Inc. to manage the project. The first phase, completed in January 2010, included:
- Data collection and goal setting
- Conceptual plant design
- Preliminary permitting investigations
- GIS analysis of site locations and for environmental and costing purposes
- Recommended projects report (for phase one)
Partners for Phase 1 were the District; the Water Authority of Volusia; Marion, Flagler and St. Johns counties; Dunes Community Development District and the cities of Palm Coast, DeLand, Leesburg, Bunnell and Flagler Beach.
Partners for Phase 2 include the District, the cities of Palm Coast, DeLand,and Leesburg and St. Johns County.
Phase 2 of the project is currently under way and includes:
- Treatment process pilot testing
- Additional environmental assessments
- Preliminary plant design
- Developing cost estimates for plant construction and operations
More information is available on the Coquina Coast Seawater Desalination Project website.
