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East Fort Myers Water Reclamation Facility

The water reclamation facility will be a City-owned and operated facility with the ability to treat up to 12 million gallons per day of wastewater to meet or exceed reclaimed water standards. The City of Fort Myers studied three different types of water reclamation technologies for this site. The study took in to account the community's concerns (such as aesthetics, public safety and site controls), site constraints and regulatory requirements. Through this evaluation, the City has tentatively chosen a process that uses less energy than the other options and has a small footprint for the reclamation facility.

Aesthetics

It is the City’s goal to make the East Water Reclamation Campus a showcase facility that will be a source of pride for the City and all associated with its implementation. Aesthetic considerations will include the following:

• Maximizing the spacing between the water reclamation facility and residential properties including providing a minimum setback of 450 feet.
• Placing the more aesthetic site features between the facility and the residential areas including the walking trails, lakes, nursery, and natural preservation.
• Providing landscaping buffers along property lines that exceed the requirements. Landscape buffers along residential property lines are proposed to be 40-foot wide with a 4-foot high berm and 13 trees/66 shrubs per 100 feet of length. It is intended that the landscape buffers at maturity will essentially provide an opaque visual shield.
• Aesthetically pleasing architectural treatment for the campus administration building and other building type structures will enhance aesthetics for those accessing the property.

Public Safety

Safety is a top priority of the City for the protection of the public and its employees, and the project will be implemented with the highest regard for safety. Public safety issues associated with a water reclamation campus include the use of chemicals, increased truck traffic and safety accessing the community park.

Different treatment technologies require different types and quantities of chemicals. In selecting technologies for this facility, the City has chosen one that minimizes the need for chemicals, particularly ones considered hazardous. For example, disinfection of the reclaimed water will be accomplished using ultraviolet light. This is a state-of-the-art technology and avoids the need for large quantities of chlorine. Any chemicals used at the facility will be stored and handled properly and safely in accordance with regulations.

The proposed traffic pattern separates public traffic from water reclamation facility traffic. All employee and truck traffic associated with the water reclamation facility will access the site from the north off Buckingham Road. The public access will be from the south off Lee Boulevard and will provide access to the open space, as well as the visitor’s area of the water reclamation facility. In addition, the project includes a through-road to allow County solid waste trucks to pass through the site, relieving this traffic from Alvin Avenue.

Site Controls

The City is giving the highest priority to implementing the water reclamation facility with good-neighbor features. First and foremost, the City is committed to ensuring effective noise, site lighting and odor control. State-of-the-art technologies are being considered and include multi-stage control strategies. The chosen process includes multi-stage odor control strategies and advancements in technology have given designers and operators the opportunity to target odor-free performance as a realistic goal.

For example, in developing the overall odor control strategy, the City is visiting existing facilities around the state and the country in order to evaluate first hand which odor control strategies have proven successful in similar environments. Simultaneously, the City is embarking on a study to identify measures that can be implemented at its existing wastewater treatment facilities to reduce odors associated with those facilities.