Executive Director of the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority Greg Veliz joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s going on with our water.
The aqueduct is preparing to finalize its budget for the upcoming fiscal year while continuing major investments in water infrastructure.
The authority is one public hearing away from finalizing its budget, which will take effect Oct. 1. The spending plan includes about 5% for capital projects, including ongoing replacement of aging water lines throughout the Keys, as well as an increase tied to the cost-of-living index.
The authority is continuing to replace sections of its aging transmission pipeline, moving south from the area where the work began in the Upper Keys. Veliz said the authority is also addressing problem areas out of sequence when necessary, including a section near the Seven Mile Bridge and recent work in Key West.
The authority coordinates with local municipalities to avoid having to dig up streets multiple times. Veliz said that when the city schedules a paving or sidewalk project in an area where the authority has aging infrastructure, the water work can be moved higher on the priority list.
“That way, the taxpayer slash ratepayer doesn’t have to pay for going into that street twice,” Veliz said.
The authority is also exploring ways to increase water production by bringing an older reverse-osmosis plant on Stock Island back into service. The building that housed the former plant was recently rehabilitated with grant funding, and Veliz said the authority is now seeking bids for design work that could lead to a new reverse-osmosis system capable of producing about 2 million gallons of water per day.
The older facility continued producing water until the newer Stock Island reverse-osmosis plant came online.
The newer plant is currently operating at about 50% capacity, producing up to 4 million gallons per day when needed. Veliz said that additional production proved valuable during a recent transmission-line break, allowing the authority to maintain its water supply while the system was temporarily offline.
“We were down for a number of hours, and yet we were producing 4 million gallons right here,” Veliz said. “That takes a big load off of our system.”
The authority’s capital improvement plans have also expanded significantly. Veliz said that several years ago, the authority was projecting roughly $6 million to $8 million a year in capital projects. Current projections are between $60 million and $80 million annually.
Veliz explained that the authority’s five-year capital plan includes projects that are not yet funded because having them included in the plan can strengthen applications for state and other grant funding.
The authority may also participate in an upcoming pilot program, although details have not yet been finalized.
Meanwhile, the Keys’ drinking water will once again be put to the test next week at a statewide competition in Miami. The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority won the overall state title last year and has regularly received recognition in South Florida.
Veliz said the competition will involve water professionals, including chemists and others involved in water treatment and processing.
The authority is also continuing capital work on the wastewater side of its operations, including decommissioning a plant in the Middle Keys.
Veliz said wastewater infrastructure requires particular attention because failures can have serious environmental consequences.
“When you’re dumping sewage in the ground, that’s really bad,” he said. “So we have to make a conscious effort to stay on top of that.”