The Starkey Wellfield is located in Pasco County, Florida near Little Road and S.R. 54. With the exception of the Tampa Bay Water well sites, the property is owned by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and is managed as a wilderness park for public recreational use (J.B. Starkey Wilderness Park).
This is a pilot project to apply reclaimed water to a 40-acre wetland in the J.B. Starkey Wilderness Park, with the goal of increasing water levels in the shallow aquifer and benefiting nearby wetlands. A spray irrigation system will be used to apply the reclaimed water to upland areas. Up to 120 acres of nearby wetlands could benefit from this project.
Project Costs
Tampa Bay Water and SWFWMD are jointly funding the evaluation, design, permitting and consrtuction of the project for a cost of $493,450.
Current Status
The application of reclaimed water to the uplands has not yet begun. In 1990, Pasco County received a permit from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to apply up to two inches of reclaimed water per week to the site. Two sprayfield zones were constructed during 1998-2000. A third sprayfield zone was designed in February 2002, and construction is planned for 2004.
Baseline environmental hydrologic monitoring is ongoing. A number of surficial aquifer and Upper Floridan Aquifer monitor wells have been constructed. Quarterly water quality sampling is also being conducted at selected well locations.
The application of reclaimed water is on hold, pending an evaluation of potential water quality concerns. Once the application of reclaimed water is determined to be safe for public health and the environment, the Starkey Reclaimed Water Pilot Project is anticipated to proceed.
