Palm Coast - The City of Palm Coast's innovative new concentrate Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) system has been named the 2015 Water Reuse Project of the Year by the Florida Water Environment Association.

The ZLD recovers and treats nearly 100 percent of the concentrate produced at the water plant on Citation Boulevard, saving up to 1.2 million gallons of water per day. Previously, that water had to be discharged to a surface water body. There is no other plant like Palm Coast's ZLD in the state of Florida.

The award will be presented to representatives of the City's Utility Department, along with the design engineer, McKim & Creed, and the original equipment manufacturer, Doosan Hydro Technology, at the Florida Water Resources Conference in Orlando on May 5. The City is being recognized for developing an exemplary reuse project and being a leader in the industry.

FWEA presents a variety of awards that recognize achievement in the water environment profession. The FWEA Water Reuse Committee each year proudly presents its David W. York Water Reuse Awards for service in education, innovative facility design, published papers, research, excellence in water quality improvement, outstanding personal service, distinctive advertising, service in the operations field, plant safety, and more.

"This award speaks volumes about the City's commitment to environmental stewardship, protection of its precious groundwater source and promoting sustainability," said Utility Director Richard Adams. "We are honored to have the ZLD recognized by the FWEA."

The new ZLD system opened earlier this year at Water Treatment Plant 2 on Citation Boulevard. By recovering and treating nearly all of the concentrate produced during water treatment at the water plant, the City is able to reclaim the water that previously was wasted and, at the same time, better protect the environment.

The primary components of the ZLD process are automated lime-soda softening and ultra-filtration systems (UF). The softened water is conveyed to a UF system to remove additional solids. The ZLD-treated water is then disinfected before being blended with the existing WTP permeate and raw water bypass.

Sludge removed from the ZLD process is transferred to a solids handling system, where it is thickened prior to dewatering. Various process streams, including the water removed from the sludge through thickening and dewatering, are recycled back into the ZLD treatment process, increasing the recovery of the ZLD system to nearly 100 percent. The City contracts with a hauler to beneficially reuse the dewatered lime solids in the production of concrete aggregate and paver base.

The ZLD system is fully integrated into the existing plant so that both the existing WTP2 reverse osmosis treatment system and the ZLD process effectively operate as one treatment plant - delivering delicious and safe drinking water to the residents of Palm Coast.