REACTIVATING AFTER 11 YEARS A 3 MGD SEAWATER RO PLANT IN FLORIDA

On January 22, 1981 the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority commissioned a 3 mgd seawater reverse osmosis plant on the island of Key West, Flori da. At the time, this plant was an interim solution to a critical wate r need for the lower Florida Keys. The plant was to be used until a ne w pipeline from the mainland Florida peninsula could be completed. The plant continuously produced potable water from seawells for 18 months and then for the next 5 years was placed in standby with each bank (t otal of 6) being operated two hours per day every 2 weeks. For the las t 6 years, the facility has been mothballed. It became evident last ye ar, as a result of Hurricane Andrew, that the Florida Keys needed to h ave available emergency potable water should a disaster strike this ar ea. Several options were examined; the least costly appeared to be the activation of the Key West RO plant, provided the facility could be r efurbished at reasonable cost. This paper discusses the very positive results obtained when this plant was brought back on-line and quality water was produced. Also included is how the facility is now being upg raded to provide a satisfactory potable water supply in case an emerge ncy strikes the locality.