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What
is Project IRIS?
Project IRIS is the City's reclaimed water project: In-City Reclamation Irrigation System. This
system provides reclaimed water for irrigation to a number of area parks, commercial green spaces,
residential lawns and landscaping. reclaimed water is a viable alternative to using drinking water
for landscape irrigation.
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What
is reclaimed water?
Reclaimed water is recycled wastewater that has been highly treated, filtered and disinfected for the irrigation
of landscape areas. Boca Raton's reclaimed water system delivers recycled water to customers through its own
reclaimed water distribution system, completely separate from our drinking water system.
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Why
does reclaimed water for irrigation make sense?
In the past, this highly treated wastewater has been essentially 'thrown away' by discharging
it into the Ocean. Yet, studies showed us that the typical Boca Raton customer poured as much
as 70% of their drinking water each month onto lawns and landscaping. reclaimed water is a way
to conserve a valuable resource by reducing the amount of drinking water used as irrigation, and
the IRIS program offers other benefits to customers at the same time.
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Is
reclaimed water safe? Who else is doing this?
Reclaimed water is safe. Many safeguards are built into every water
reclamation facility, and the water is tested to meet national, state and local regulatory standards. The City of Boca
Raton meets or exceeds all of these regulatory standards for its production of reclaimed water. Simply put, this water
cannot leave the plant until it has been fully tested for safety and water quality.
Reclaimed water is not intended for consumption, but it poses no threat to public health from accidental contact.
reclaimed water is actively used in more than 1,900 locations around the country, about 400 of them here in Florida.
Some communities on the western side of Florida have had a similar successful urban irrigation reclaimed water program
in place for more then 20 years.
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Now that I have IRIS, what do I do?
- Please be prepared to allow authorized
city employees to make periodic inspections
- Check your water heater to be sure
that it has a properly functioning
relief valve to prevent build-up of
pressure.
- Please check with a licensed plumber
if you have questions
- Adjust your irrigation heads to eliminate
over spraying on non-turf areas
Once
your in-ground sprinkler system is
officially hooked up to reclaimed water,
you can irrigate any time that you
wish, without having to worry about
watering restrictions.
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Are there irrigation time restrictions for the use of reclaimed water?
City Code, Article 2, Section 17-57(1) Application states: The provisions of this section shall apply during all periods of time in which no water use restrictions, as provided in sections 17-55 and 17-56, are in effect. The provisions of this section shall apply to all use of water for irrigation regardless of source, except:
- reclaimed water may be utilized for irrigation purposes each day of the week from 5:00pm - 8:00am, and
- irrigation with reclaimed water by golf courses shall be exempt from all day of he week and time restrictions
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Is
there an unlimited supply of reclaimed water?
While reclaimed water helps to conserve precious drinking water, the supply is not without a limit. We suggest that you treat it as any other resource, and water wisely.
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Are
there any rules regarding what reclaimed water
should not be used for?
IRIS water is for irrigation and back-up fire protection. While accidental contact with IRIS
water is safe, reclaimed water is not meant for drinking, cooking, bathing, swimming pools,
hot tubs, pets, or indoor use.
Please treat IRIS as the valuable resource
it is, and water only as much as necessary. And of course, we need to remind you of the many things that
IRIS is not intended for, including:
- Body contact recreation, such as pools or spas, hot tubs, wading pools or children playing in
sprinklers
- Connection to a dwelling unit for any purpose, including water cooled air conditioning
- Consumption
- Use with a hose bibb
- Washing pets, equipment, structures (E.g., siding, roofs), driveways, or vehicles
- Direct spray
on "salad" crops
(i.e., lettuce, tomatoes, berries)
Spray irrigation for citrus trees is acceptable.
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Are residents required to connect to the IRIS system?
If you live in an area where reclaimed water is available and you have an in-ground
sprinkler system, we recommend hooking up to Project IRIS. If you do not have an
in-ground sprinkler system, then you cannot hook up to IRIS until you have one installed.
If you are currently watering your lawn through some means other than the City's drinking
water system (e.g., canals, wells) and IRIS is available, we recommend you hook up.
If you aren't sure if you live in an area where IRIS is available, feel free to call
the City's Utility Programs Coordinator, Christine Ferrigan at (561) 338-7333
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Where
are Project IRIS services available?
Phase I made it possible to provide reclaimed water services to Boca Raton's Sabal Park/Pinelands area, Florida Atlantic University, Mizner Park and a number of commercial green spaces along the Federal Highway. With the completion of Phase II, the City has added over 400 single-family customers as well as condominiums and golf courses in the southeastern part of the city. The City has expanded the system to the northwest making it available to Lynn University and for use along Spanish River Blvd. west of I-95. Future phases are already being planned.
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What
is the cost for a typical single-family homeowner
to hook up to the IRIS system?
Installation
costs will vary according to the meter
size the homeowner uses. If your home
currently has a 1 1/2'' water meter,
a 1" IRIS meter may suffice, and could save some homeowner costs. Costs for a 1" meter
include $225 for the installation,
payable in six bimonthly bills, a $35
permit application fee, and costs associated
with the actual plumbing hook-up. These
costs will vary depending on which
licensed plumbing or sprinkler contractor
you choose to provide the hook-up services,
or if you do the hook-up yourself.
Once in use, IRIS water is billed on
a bimonthly basis.
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Costs
for Multi-family hook-ups?
Because of many varying factors, these costs will be looked at on a case-by-case basis.
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Should
reclaimed water be used for edible
plants?
Studies of the use of high quality reclaimed water show that it can be safely used to irrigate edible food crops. In fact, the national reuse guidelines (EPA, 1992) fully support the use of reclaimed water meeting Florida's standards as being safe for irrigation of any type of edible crop. However, Florida's reclaimed water guidelines are more stringent than the national and international guidelines. Florida's reclaimed water rules also allow for irrigation of food crops, but with one exception. Spray irrigation using reclaimed water is prohibited for crops that will not be peeled, skinned, cooked, or thermally processed before human consumption (salad crops).
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Why
have a purple meter box?
Purple is the national color standard symbolizing reclaimed water.
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How
can I be sure that IRIS is helping
the City to conserve drinking water?
By using IRIS water instead of drinking water to irrigate, Phase I customers have already been able to make a notable impact. In 1996 alone, the City and its customers used more than half a billion gallons of IRIS water for area beautification.
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How
can I learn more about Project IRIS?
IRIS BENEFITS EVERYONE...
by reclaimeding a valuable freshwater
resource and reducing our withdrawal from the aquifer that is our source of drinking water.
If you would like to receive more information about Project IRIS, or about other ways to conserve water,
please call Boca Raton's Utility Programs Coordinator, Christine Ferrigan at (561)
338-7333, or write to us at:
City of Boca Raton
Utility Services
1401 Glades Road
Boca Raton, FL 33431
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Thank you
for helping us to conserve for the future.
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