Re-visiting the Comparative Assessment of Municipal Wastewater Disposal Methods in Southeast Florida

A comparative assessment of the risks of the potential effluent disposal alternatives currently available to wastewater utilities in Southeast Florida was conducted in 2000 by the University of Miami, and 2001 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The alternatives evaluated included: 1) Deep well injection following secondary treatment, 2) Ocean outfall following secondary treatment, and 3) Surface water (canal) discharges following secondary wastewater treatment, filtration and nutrient removal. However, no data was evaluated for reclaimed wastewater in Southeast Florida in either study. Additional data collection and analysis was recommended to understand the effects of wastewater management on the cycling of water, nutrients and other constituents in Southeast Florida. In particular, it was recommended that evaluation of effluents for pharmaceutically active substances be implemented on a broad scale.