Reclaimed water use won't be optional

Starting in October, Largo plans to require hundreds of people who water their lawns with tap water to hook up to the city service.

By ERIC STIRGUS

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 19, 2001

LARGO -- The city plans to force hundreds of residents to use reclaimed water even if they don't want the service.

Starting in October, these residents will have to pay at least $125 to hook up to the city's reclaimed-water system, plus the monthly reclaimed-water charge, $7.

The move is part of the city's effort to get its reclaimed-water program out of a financial drought. The city collects about $400,000 a year in revenue for the service, which costs the city about $1.6-million.

It's also geared to conserve drinking water.

City commissioners approved the idea at a meeting Tuesday. It requires residents who have access to reclaimed water but use drinking water to irrigate their lawns to either connect to the city's system or use a well. Residents who use wells or prefer to allow rain to water their lawns will not be affected by the city's plan.

Some residents criticized the move.

"I don't think forcing people is the best way to go," said Dale Abel, who prefers to allow rain to irrigate his lawn instead of connection to reclaimed water. "I'm sure it's going to have a lot of people upset."

About 1,550 residents have access to reclaimed water but do not use it, according to city estimates. It is not known how many of those people use tap water on their lawns, although City Manager Steve Stanton estimates about 40 percent of them do.

Abel remembers the town hall-style meetings held by the city to spread the good news about reclaimed water three years ago. He remembers the small aquarium, swimming with fish, city officials had on display to show there is life after exposure to treated wastewater.

"We don't know what the effect will be 20 years from now of children playing in reclaimed water," he said. "Fish can live just fine in polluted rivers."

Stanton is confident that the city can persuade residents using tap water on their lawns that reclaimed water is a better alternative.

"If you nudge people in the right direction, people will do so if you show them it is the right thing," he said.

City officials are studying other ways to get more residents on the service, like paying the initial cost of connecting to its system for anyone who signs up to receive the treated wastewater or connecting the line and having the homeowner pay the city back over an undetermined period of time.

Commissioners last month agreed with a staff recommendation against charging all residents who have access to reclaimed water but do not use it.

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