City breaks ground on wastewater treatment plant expansion project

December 7, 2023

DeLand Florida City News, deland.org

The city has broken ground on major improvements to its water reclamation facility, an $83 million project aimed at meeting future flow demands, improving discharge quality and reducing the reliance on septic systems in the region.

The city held a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at the Wiley M. Nash Water Reclamation Facility located at 1101 S. Amelia Avenue.

The project includes expansion of the permitted daily treatment capacity of the plant from 6 million gallons per day (MGD) to 8 MGD, replacement of the current gas chlorine disinfection process with safer, ultraviolet disinfection technology, and treatment process improvements to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations.

Once complete, it is projected the water reclamation plant will reduce total nitrogen flow to Blue Spring by 146,177 pounds per year and total phosphorus by 91,324 pounds per year.

Built in 1978, the city’s wastewater treatment plant was named in honor of Wiley M. Nash, who served as Utilities/Public Works Director and later as Mayor. In 1990, the facility was upgraded to produce reclaimed  water and reduce the discharge of effluent into the St. Johns River. The plant currently serves a utility service area of more than 80 square miles with a population of about 68,000.

Construction is expected to start in December of this year with a projected completion date of the summer of 2026.