The Coquina Coast Seawater Desalination Project involves investigating the feasibility of a seawater desalination plant to be located in Flagler Count. The project partners selected the Malcolm Pirnie Team to assist with determining the project components and preparing a 35-percent preliminary design report.
The first phase of the project evaluated whether a possible future desalination plant would be based on a ship offshore, based on land, or a combination of both.
Phase 1 work included:
- Collecting data on raw water quality
- Developing drinking water quality goals
- Determining plant size based on future water need projections
- Determining permitting requirements
- Analyzing site locations
- Public outreach
- Identifying preliminary cost estimates and more
After comparing and contrasting land-based and ship-based treatment solutions and applying the partners’ project evaluation criteria to the options, a land-based facility was recommended for the Coquina Coast desalination project. The project will be phased based on demand projections to ensure that supply is closely aligned with demand.
Phase 2 is being completed in phases. Phase 2A work included:
- Evaluating treatment process requirements
- Developing a water quality monitoring and data collection plan
- Evaluating potential facility sites
- Treatment process evaluations
- Conducting initial environmental assessments
- Preliminary aquifer tests for beach well suitability
Project partners for Phase 2A were the cities of Palm Coast, Leesburg, Deland and St. Johns County. Phase 2A of the project is being funded by the participating local governments and the St. Johns River Water Management District.
Phase 2B of the project has been rescheduled to start in 2014 or later.
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