The City of Cape Coral’s Water Reclamation Division consists of two advanced wastewater treatment plants, a collection system which includes lift stations (including 19 master pumping stations) and a modern laboratory. The collection system is continuously monitored by a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA ). The certified laboratory performs sample analyses for the City’s own Water Production and Water Reclamation Facilities, other departments within the City, and the Public Works Department. To reduce operating costs, analyses for various water and wastewater facilities throughout Southwest Florida are also performed.

The Everest Parkway Water Reclamation Facility is an 8.5-MGD (million gallons daily) Modified Bardenpho Advanced Treatment Facility. The Bardenpho process is an advanced modification of the activated sludge process and allows for high levels of BOD, TSS, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus removal. Nitrogen is removed by a biological process without chemical addition. Aluminum Sulfate is used to supplement the biological process to meet strict state parameters for phosphorus removal. The Everest Facility was expanded from an activated sludge process to the Modified Bardenpho process in early 1990, and the reclamation system was placed into service in late 1992. The Everest Facility started pumping into the system on October 21, 1992. The alternate disposal for the plant effluent is surface water discharge into the Caloosahatchee River. The Everest Parkway Water Reclamation Facility meets all state and federal permit parameters.

The Southwest Water Reclamation Facility is a 6.6-MGD Advanced Treatment Facility that normally runs in the conventional treatment mode. Phosphorus and nitrogen levels do not need to be reduced for public access spray irrigation. In fact, they are beneficial due to the higher nutrient levels. Also the chemical costs are reduced when not using aluminum sulfate and methanol for the nutrient removal. The Southwest Water Reclamation Facility started receiving flow from the new gravity sewer expansion in June 1994. The alternate disposal for the plant effluent is through a connection with the river discharge line at the Everest Facility. The Southwest Water Reclamation Facility meets all state and federal permit requirements.

The City of Cape Coral’s reuse water system consists of the Everest Parkway Water Reclamation Facility, the Southwest Water Reclamation Facility and five canal pumping stations placed in various locations along the City’s vast freshwater canal system. This system provides irrigation water for domestic households and commercial buildings. The canal water is used to supplement the rescued water (reuse) system when the demand for irrigation water is more than both of the Water Reclamation Facilities can supply.

When water is pumped from the canals, it passes through a coarse screen followed by a fine screen and is chlorinated before it enters the reuse system. The Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system located at the Everest Facility consistently monitors the rescued water including system pressure, flow and canal station alarms via radio.

Each resident who uses the City’s rescued water for irrigation purposes is helping to conserve our valuable potable water.