Creating an Alternative Water Supply through Flood Mitigation

Alternative water supply projects present many benefits over standard stormwater management practices. Aside from allowing a community to expand and develop by providing it with an alternative water supply source, they can also mitigate flooding and provide a solution to stormwater attenuation requirements. Recent flooding issues near Mill Lake and Marshall Park Lake in Orange City, located in Central Florida, prompted the City to investigate the causes of the flooding and possible improvements. Upon investigation, the recommended improvement involved pumping excess runoff from Mill and Marshall Park Lakes to a water reclamation facility that would provide an alternative water supply source of reclaimed water for Volusia County and neighboring communities. Alternative water supply systems are supported by the water management districts and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) under Florida Senate Bills 360 and 444, which provide possible sources of funding for such alternative water supply projects.