Palm Bay targets Floridan aquifer to offset 6.5 MGD well capacity deficit

Palm Bay targets Floridan aquifer to offset 6.5 MGD well capacity deficitFacing a severe drop in shallow well production, the Florida municipality is turning to reverse osmosis and deep aquifer wells to restore its water treatment plant to its 10 MGD design capacity.

Palm Bay's water treatment plant is operating at just 3.5 MGD of its 10 MGD capacity due to declining shallow well production.

The city is advancing a reverse osmosis project tapping the deep Floridan aquifer to recover the lost 6.5 MGD capacity.

Council approved the procurement for the new wells via a traditional proposal award, opting against a CMAR model due to the straightforward scope of well construction.

The city is expanding its wastewater network to accommodate 4,500 new residential connections and is pursuing grants to connect nearly 2,000 existing homes to the sewer system.

Recent upgrades to the Palm Bay Water Reclamation Facility have successfully reduced effluent nutrient levels from 30 mg/L to 8 mg/L.

The City of Palm Bay, Florida, is pivoting its water supply strategy to the deep Floridan aquifer to address a severe shortfall in its raw water production. During the July 16 city council meeting, utility officials revealed that the city’s water treatment plant, which is rated for 10 million gallons per day (MGD), is currently only able to produce 3.5 MGD due to declining yields from its existing wellfield. To bridge the 6.5 MGD deficit, Palm Bay is advancing a reverse osmosis (RO) project to draw from the deep Floridan aquifer. The transition marks a significant shift in the city's water sourcing as it looks to restore full operational capacity to its treatment facilities. The council approved the procurement of the new wells through a traditional proposal award. During the meeting, officials discussed the choice of delivery method, noting that while the city is utilizing a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) contract for its upcoming South Regional Water Reclamation Facility expansion, a standard proposal was deemed more appropriate for the well project. A staff member noted that the well construction involves a straightforward scope of work that does not require the complex design integration typically suited for CMAR. In addition to the water supply upgrades, Palm Bay is aggressively expanding its wastewater infrastructure. The city is preparing to add 4,500 new residential connections to its wastewater network, predominantly serving new housing developments in the southeast. Simultaneously, the utility is working to address existing properties that remain on septic systems. Utility staff confirmed they are pursuing various grants to connect fewer than 2,000 customers who currently have sewer infrastructure available but are not yet connected. The push aligns with a 2030 state mandate requiring properties to either connect to centralized sewer systems or install advanced onsite septic treatment. The city is also exploring alternative utility-managed onsite treatment systems to ensure long-term compliance for properties where traditional sewer extension is not feasible. The city's wastewater and stormwater investments are already yielding measurable environmental improvements. A presentation by Brevard County's Save Our Indian River Lagoon (SOIRL) program highlighted the impact of recent upgrades to the Palm Bay Water Reclamation Facility. Following the upgrades, nutrient levels in the facility's effluent dropped from nearly 30 milligrams per liter to approximately 8 milligrams per liter. Supported by a county-wide tax, the program has also funded 426 sewer connections, 43 septic upgrades, and a major Bayfront stormwater project within Palm Bay, with additional septic-to-sewer conversions currently underway. Separately, Palm Bay is investing $2.6 million to install 3,000 feet of water main along Malabar Road. While the infrastructure is located in the neighboring Town of Malabar, it serves Palm Bay utility customers and will provide critical service redundancy for the area, including a local hospital.