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Home My WebLink About2007 07 23 Informational 102 Parks and Recreation Highlighted in Sports Field Management Publication COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM 102 Consent Informational Public Hearing Regular x July 23,2007 Regular Meeting gr. / Dept. Authorization REQUEST: The Parks and Recreation Department is informing the City Commission that Winter Springs Parks and Recreation is highlighted in the July, 2007 Sports Field Management Publication. PURPOSE: The purpose of this item is to inform the City Commission about this recognition. CONSIDERATIONS: . In May, 2007 Sports Field Management contacted Parks and Recreation and requested to do an article with pictures. . Staff was interviewed and submitted photos. . The Sports Turf Management Publication is distributed to over 23,000 individuals and business across North America. FUNDING: N/ A. RECOMMENDATIONS: N/ A. IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE: N/A. ATTACHMENTS: Copy of cover and article. COMMISSION ACTION: .~ I ~ '"11,"',11,"11',"'"'11I'''',,,11,',,',',,, "'.I I8't'NXOtfR ****"UT0**3-omn 327 SPF IOOOS 0351 OOOS 03511 CHlICI< PlUI CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS 1126 EAST STATE RD. 434 WINTERSPRIHGS FL 32708-2799 00057 10949 by Suz Trusty e terms vary-from effluent to recy- cled, reclaimed, wastewater or non- potable-but all refer to the same thing. Recycled water is water that has been used, primarily in home owner sinks, bath- tubs and toilets, and then collected and sent to a reclamation facility for treatment, fil- tering and disinfecting. For decades, municipalities have pro- cessed this used water through sewage treatment plants and released it into the environment. The reclamation process adds another one or two levels of treatment. The type of treatment and how it is accom- plished is monitored by various govern- mental agencies with guidelines established for what constitutes an acceptable product for specified uses. Continued on page 6 Water pumped from Lake Jessup flows through the irrigation system on one of the outfields at the Central Winds Park in the City of Winter Springs. Fla. U) (') z ~ a: UJ f- Z ~ "- a >- f- U "- a >- U) UJ f- a: ::J a u U) a f- a it Steve Richart, Central Winds Park crew chief, stands in Lake Jessup to check the piping system that brings water from the in-lake pump station to the parks irrigation system. SportsField Management II JULY 2007 III 5 * Free Info! Circle # on card or go to www.sportsfieldmanagementmagazine.com/freeinfo Staff members watch the irrigation system in action as water is pulled from Lake Jessup for the athletic fields at Central Winds Park. Irrigation Issues Continued from page 5 Recycled water quality will vary because the initial source of the wastewater differs. What goes into the treatment process is the base for what comes out, so the makeup and quantity of the particulate suspended or dissolved in the effluent water will differ by each "batch" that is produced. If the source of the wastewater is relatively stable, the variations may be minor. If the waste- water comes from multiple sources, the variations will be greater. Some issues to consider include the nutrient content of the recycled water, the pH level and the salinity. Numerous laboratory studies and research reports that address the technical aspects of effluent water use can be found through an Internet search or through the Turfgrass Information File (http://turflib.msu.edu ). The need for reclaimed water In mid-May of 2007, drought-related conditions across south Florida caused water shortages so extreme that the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) issued Phase III Mandatory Water Use Restrictions for Broward County, which includes the city of Pompano Beach. Only 100-percent reclaimed water use was not restricted. As well as supplying regional needs, keep- ing adequate water supplies in the aquifers reduces saltwater intrusion. This occurs in coastal areas as saltwater flows inland to fill the voids created when fresh water is deplet- ed from the aquifers. Once contaminated, the water must be cleansed of salts and other impurities before public use. Practical applications in Pompano Beach Recycled water has been used in south Florida since the mid -1990s. Golf courses were the initial users, but the resource soon expanded to residential areas, agricultural sites, commercial properties and recre- ational areas. Public safety is a prime consideration. Recycled water distribution systems are marked to differentiate them from potable water sources, generally by the color pur- pie-irrigation heads for recycled water have purple tops or purple caps. According to Tom Curran, grounds maintenance supervisor for the city of Pompano Beach, Fla., the reclaimed water has a much higher purity level than per- ceived by the public. "The 'yuck' factor seems to automatically kick in when people talk about it, but prior to the development of more extensive processing to reclaim it, wastewater was processed at a sewage treat- ment facility and then released back into the environment. Recycling it for specific uses is the practical next step in overall con- servation efforts," he says. If adequate supplies of recycled water are available through a source that provides enough pressure for irrigation systems to function properly, using it is practical and cost-effective. Curran says, "All irrigation systems must be equipped with backflow prevention. In addition, we have filters down line at several points, and there are filters at the sprinkler heads. We do need to clean the filters a little more frequently where the reclaimed water is used, but it's not a major issue." 61 JULY 20071 SportsField Management * Free Info! Circle # on card or go to www.sportsfieldmanagementmagazine.com/freeinfo Regulations for using effluent water vary across the country, but most are more com- monsense than restrictive. They may mandate the timing of irrigation cycles to periods when there's little possibility of people coming into direct contact with the spray. hill, down to the pump station and then pumped back up the hill. We didn't get enough pressure within our irrigation sys- tem for head-to-head coverage, so we con- sistently had some brown spots on the areas where the reclaimed water was used." Others faced similar pressure issues based on the distance of their sites from the reclaimed water source and the number of other uses closer to the source that tapped into the same delivery system during the same time frame. Pula says, "When we acquired 27 acres of additional park space we renovated the area with seashore paspalum. We also undertook an initiative for the restoration and upgrad- ing of the pumping system used to draw water from Lake Jessup. We installed a large Hoover pump station in the lake and ran suction pipe from it to our irrigation sys- tem. This gives us a primary water source independent from the city water system." An artesian well was discovered on the additional 27 acres of property. It's current- ly used to supplement the lake water. Pula says, "Even with both sources, it's nearly impossible on a 24-hour clock to get water to everything that needs it within the park:' The city is planning to install an addi- tional reclamation facility at the end of Central Winds Park. "Current scheduling For information on Irrigation Technology se.~ &age 8. The city of Winter Springs Reclaimed water has been used in the irrigation program for the parks in the city of Winter Springs, Fla., according to Parks and Recreation Director Chuck Pula. It's one of the resources used to trim costs and provide alternative, nonrestricted water availability. Pula says, ''At one point, we were alternating the use of reclaimed water with the water we pumped from Lake Jessup, which is on-site_at Central Winds Park, our largest sports field and recreation- al area. We used reclaimed water for several areas within the park, including on the eight athletic fields, parking medians and the outdoor amphitheater. Water quality was not an issue for us. We didn't observe any problems with nutrient or salt levels." The main issue was inadequate coverage due to lack of water pressure. Pula says, "The problem was caused in part by the design of Central Winds Park and the phys- icallocation of the reclaimed water source. The water was channeled from the top of a will have that facility operating in about two years:' says Pula. "The location should resolve any pressure problems, so we're looking forward to again incorporating reclaimed water into our total irrigation program." Water use will become an even more important issue in the future. Sports field managers will need to adopt proactive conser- vation methods. Recycled water, which may be the only nonrestricted water source avail- able during extended droughts and water shortages, is one option many will incorpo- rate into their irrigation programs. m To contact the author, e-mail suztrusty@ sportsfie/dmanagementmagazi ne. com. H y ~i~a~S~~ y r 1-800-223-7015 Hydraway Drainage Systems Can Solve the Mas t Demanding Drainage Applications! 1-800-223-7015 www.hydraway.net GET GREEN! Water where you need it. . Highest compressive strengths in the industry! . Install vertically in narrow 2" wide trench or horizontally. . 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SportsField Management 1 JULY 200717 · Free Info! Circle # on card or go to www.sportsfieldmanagementmagazine.com/freeinfo