An essential provision of the Permit was WASD’s implementation of a number of water supply alternatives to the Biscayne Aquifer, to meet future water demands beyond the amount WASD is allowed to draw from the Biscayne Aquifer. 

In the year since the Permit was granted, WASD has been hard at work developing these alternatives.  Design work has begun for several new facilities and in some cases, ground has already been broken and construction work has begun.  Some alternative water supply sources are already in place and operational. 

A few of the water supply alternatives that are a part of the Permit include:

• The Water-Use Efficiency Program, which is already being implemented
• A reverse osmosis water treatment plant being built with the City of Hialeah
  • This plant will draw water exclusively from the brackish Floridian Aquifer
  • The City of Hialeah has already issued a Request for Proposals for the design and construction of this plant
• A number of reclaimed water projects
  • An irrigation project in Key Biscayne, parts of which are already being installed
  •  An ambitious groundwater recharge project in south Miami-Dade
    • Land has already been acquired for this plant
    • A preliminary treatment process is being put into place at the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant