Reiss Engineering Completes Design And Permitting For The First Award Winning Large-Scale Municipal System in Florida To Treat H2S In RO Permeate Using Ozone

City of Clearwater’s new WTP No. 2 will benefit citizens in more ways than one

Reiss Engineering is pleased to announce that the design, construction and permitting for the City of Clearwater’s new brackish Reverse Osmosis (RO) Water Treatment Plant (WTP) No. 2 was officially completed with the grand opening of the WTP on Thursday, June 4, 2015.

Prior to the new WTP, the City used water from the Florida Aquifer and bulk purchased water from a regional water supplier to meet consumer needs. In an effort to manage the cost of water, protect the environment, and conserve water resources the City of Clearwater implemented an Integrated Water Management Strategy. One of the key priorities for the City was to begin making improvements to and expanding its existing potable water system, including the upgrade of the existing WTP No. 2 with a 6.25 Million Gallons per Day (MGD) brackish water RO plant.

The design of the City of Clearwater’s new 6.25 MGD WTP No. 2 is the first large-scale reverse osmosis municipal system in Florida to use ozone to treat H2S in RO Permeate.

The City is committed to incorporating sustainability practices into the design and operation of new public facilities as outlined in the Clearwater Greenprint program adopted in 2011 by the City Council. Clearwater is a certified “Green City”, and part of the Florida Green Building Coalition. Working together with the City, Reiss was able to incorporate state-of-the-art sustainability practices and design elements into the treatment plant’s early stages of design to increase the plant’s efficiency, reduce adverse impacts to the environment, and provide long-term cost-saving benefit to the City of Clearwater, thus enhancing its reputation as a Green City. Some of the sustainable design elements included “Florida-Friendly” landscaping and efficient irrigation, efficient pumping fixtures, subaqueous pipeline crossings to avoid wetland or environmental impacts, cool roof, community connectivity, energy efficient HVAC system, insulated walls & roof, and much more.

The new $30M WTP was funded in part by the South West Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD). It can produce 6.25 MGD of water a day that meets or exceeds state and federal standards, and will serve 100,000 customers throughout the city.

Most recently, the WTP was awarded the 2015 Public Works Project of the Year Award from the Florida Chapter of the American Public Works Association.

"Improving water quality is a priority of Reiss Engineering. Providing clean, safe drinking water is essential for any municipality and provides a great comfort level for residents. We are extremely pleased and excited that this project has become a reality" said Dr. Robert Reiss, president of Reiss Engineering.

About Reiss Engineering
Reiss Engineering is a leading civil and environmental engineering firm with offices in Clearwater, Ft. Lauderdale, Melbourne, Palm Beach Gardens, Winter Haven, Winter Springs and Nassau, Bahamas. Specializing in the design and construction of water treatment, wastewater, and reuse water facilities, along with statewide experience in master planning and permitting, Reiss has been widely embraced by communities in need of the expertise, customer service, and attention to detail Reiss provides to clients through responsive, personalized, high quality engineering services. For more information, visit www.reisseng.com.