For decades the City of Tampa has considered options for its 50 million gallons per day of wastewater production. Right now, it goes into Tampa Bay. Some would like to see that water cleaned and reused others think Tampa Bay is better off for the freshwater infusion. Until now. A new state law gives the city ten years to figure out their next step because they have to stop putting it into the bay.
Tick tock.
The good news is that since the debate over what to do with the water began many years ago, places in Texas and California, and Arizona are all recycling highly-treated wastewater into drinking water. There are already pilot projects around Florida.
Prepare for the debate and for outrageous claims that will surely stoke additional division since the science is settled on this. Likely the policy debate will not be about science but about non-science and probably nonsense.