Metrozoo Key Biscayne To Get Purified Reclaimed Water

By Lou Ortiz
Miami-Dade County has embarked on a project that would bring 23 million gallons of processed sewage water daily to the Miami MetroZoo.

A separate project will bring reclaimed water from the county’s Water and Sewer Department Central District Wastewater Treatment Plant on Virginia Key to the northern boundary of the Village of Key Biscayne.

Sometimes called recycled water, reclaimed water is former sewage that has been treated to remove solids and certain impurities and then allowed to recharge the aquifer rather than being discharged to surface water.

For MetroZoo, county commissioners last week awarded a $2.75 million contract for the engineering and design of the estimated five-year project — the last two for construction — to Miami-based A&P Consulting Transportation Engineers Corp.

The firm will design a 36-inch pipeline, perform preliminary route analysis, co-ordinate with utilities and municipalities, among other things, as the pipeline is mapped out from the county’s South District Wastewater Treatment Plant to a delivery system near the zoo.

The treatment plant is at 8950 SW 232nd St., and the zoo at 12400 SW 152nd St.

"When completed, the pipeline is expected to pump approximately 23 million gallons of high purified reclaimed water daily into the moat surrounding MetroZoo, to recharge the groundwater aquifer," said a press statement from the county mayor’s office.

"The pipeline is part of a larger series of projects that include the construction of a state-of-the-art reclaimed water facility adjacent to the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant," the statement said, adding that Miami-Dade would become "one of the largest users of reclaimed water in the state of Florida."

Another contract, worth $1.65 million and also approved by commissioners May 20, would bring reclaimed water via a 16-inch pipeline from the Virginia Key treatment plant to the Crandon Park Golf Course on Key Biscayne, and a 12-inch connection from the golf course to the village.

Miami firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam Inc. will provide engineering design and post-design services on the four-year project, with construction expected to take two years.

Once completed, the "pipeline will provide reclaimed water for irrigation and other non-potable purposes to the Crandon… golf course and public areas in the Village of Key Biscayne," the county said.

The Virginia Key plant is at 3989 Rickenbacker Causeway.

Once the engineering and design phases of both projects are completed, and estimated costs assessed, the county will solicit bids for construction of each pipeline. Advertisement