Florida opens $191.8M water plant to protect the Matanzas River and conserve drinking water

St. Johns County Utilities officials have gathered to celebrate the completion of the State Road 207 Water Reclamation Facility. The $191.8 million project is the largest capital improvement project in the county's history. Located at 3055 State Road 207 in Elkton, the new plant treats wastewater and turns it into reclaimed water that is not safe for drinking but can be used for purposes such as watering lawns and landscapes. By supplying treated wastewater for irrigation, county officials hope to reduce the area's dependence on the Floridan Aquifer, Northeast Florida's main source of fresh drinking water. The project comes at an important time for the region, as local officials continue to monitor drought conditions. According to announcements from St. Johns County Utilities, the St. Johns River Water Management District's Phase III Extreme Water Shortage Order remains in effect. The order follows a shortage of rainfall across the region, with rainfall levels earlier this year measuring more than eight inches below the 12-month average.Capacity and environmental performanceThe facility began operational testing on May 11 and has an initial treatment capacity of 3.25 million gallon...