Coquina Coast desalination team seeks public input

Community input on siting criteria to evaluate potential locations for the proposed Coquina Coast Seawater Desalination plant in Florida, USA, is being sought by the project team.

Interested individuals can provide their input either in person or by completing an online survey.

All feedback from the public meeting and survey will be compiled and provided to the Coquina Coast Seawater Desalination project partners – Palm Coast, Leesburg, DeLand and St Johns County. Community input gathered in 2009 was used to develop project evaluation criteria that have since been updated and modified for use in evaluating potential sites.

The Coquina Coast Seawater Desalination Project is investigating the feasibility of a seawater desalination plant to be located in the Flagler County region. Future groundwater withdrawals in the region will be limited to protect the environment and ensure a sustainable resource.

Projections show that 10-15 MGD (37,850-55,770 m³/d) of new drinking water will be needed by 2020. Alternative water supplies, such as seawater desalination, must be developed to reduce reliance on groundwater supplies and to meet the public’s future drinking water needs.

The project is being funded by the participating local governments and the St Johns River Water Management District.