The City currently operates two wastewater treatment facilities that treat approximately 5 million gallons wastewater per day to a high standard of water quality.

A number of city parks, cemeteries, golf courses and residents use the reuse water for irrigation purposes.  The majority of this reuse water is produced at Wastewater Treatment Facility #2 on the North side of the City.

Currently, roughly 38% of the City's water supply is used for irrigating lawns and landscapes. Replacing the use of potable water with reuse water for landscape irrigation can conserve and extend the City's water supply and help keep rates as low as possible. The use of reuse water is a priority in the City's plans for meeting future water demand. 

Wastewater Treatment Plant Number 3 is located on the south side of Winter Haven and is permitted to treat approximately 7.5 million gallons per day of wastewater, also to reuse quality standards. Most of this reuse water enters the Peace Creek canal system as beneficial surface water discharge and makes its way into the Peace River.  As our City is experiencing growth and development this facility is also contributing reuse water to the reuse system. This reuse water transmission system is projected to ring the City limits and bring access to reuse water to vital future projects.

The construction of the transmission mains has been paid for by the City as well as funding from the Southwest Florida Water Management District, who is a partner in the mission of creating sustainable water projects in communities within the SWFWMD region.  

The level of treatment received by reclaimed water makes it acceptable for the following uses:

• Irrigating lawns and most landscaping.
  • Turf irrigation should be limited to 1 inch of water per week 
  • Reclaimed water irrigation should follow the City's enforced irrigation schedule. You can find this schedule on our Water Conservation page.

• Washing of cars, boats, or heavy equipment. It is recommended that after the use of reclaimed water, vehicles are rinsed with potable water and towel-dried to prevent spotting.
• Washing of roofs and buildings as long as the runoff doesn't flow into surface water such as a pond or stream.
• Use in fountains and decorative pools (they must be clearly marked as containing reclaimed water).

The degree of treatment required for the use of reclaimed water makes it unsuitable for the following purposes:

• Consumption by humans.
• Bathing, cooking, or toilet flushing in residential dwellings.
• Any interconnection with another water source.
• Recreational use involving body contact (i.e. swimming pools or outdoor showers).
• Irrigation of vegetables or other edible crops that are not peeled, cooked, or thermally processed before being consumed.

For more information on how to maintain your in ground irrigation system please see the link below!