Document more expansive than previous reports, providing plenty of graphics
Instead of the two-page documents issued in the past, the Sarasota County Public Utilities Department’s 2023 report on drinking water for county customers comprises 11 pages and appears to include much more scientific data, as The Sarasota News Leader found in its review of the materials.
Officially titled the Consumer Confidence Report, the 2023 document explains that it provides “a summary of the quality of water provided to Sarasota County Public Utility customers” during that year.
This is the first such report released since Public Utilities Director Mike Mylett retired in November 2023, and County Administrator Jonathan Lewis named Brooke Bailey to take his place, as of February of this year. She joined the county staff in 2021, as noted in a news release at that time. She previously worked in Wichita, Kansas, serving as “the operations manager and lab director of a 160-million-gallon-per-day water treatment facility that served more than half-a-million residents,” the Sarasota County Government news release pointed out.
Among the Public Utilities Department’s achievements in 2023, the new report says, were the county’s recognition for having the Best Tasting Water in the region; and the completion of upgrades at the Carlton Water Treatment Facility near Venice, so that operation has a 12-million-gallon-per-day capacity.
The taste award came courtesy of the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association, the report notes.
The Public Utilities Department’s Water Division — whose staff is state-certified, the report points out — “utilizes several water sources to supply our residents with drinking water, including six wells at our Venice Gardens Water Treatment Facility in Venice and 16 wells on the T. Mabry Carlton, Jr. Memorial Reserve where our water treatment plant is located,” the report says.
“The wells we utilize range from 400 to 700 feet deep and draw water from the intermediate aquifer and the Floridian aquifer,” the report continues.
Additionally, it notes, the division “partners with Manatee County and the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority to supply ample water to Sarasota County residents.”
And where does that drinking water originate?
A pie chart shows that 47% of the potable water last year came from the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority. The county is one of four county members of that organization. The others are Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto.
Sarasota County purchases 15 million gallons of drinking water from the Authority each day, the report continues. The Authority sources that water from the Peace River and the Florida Aquifer, the report notes.
Another 37% of the county’s water comes from the Mabry Carlton Jr. Memorial Reserve treatment plant, the pie chart adds.
The final 16% of the potable water — 5 million gallons a day — is purchased from Manatee County, which uses the Manatee River and the Floridan Aquifer as its sources, the report says.
Among other graphics in the report, one explains the water treatment process called electrodialysis reversal (EDR), while another discusses the use of “parts per million” — ppm — in various sections of the document. The graphic adds, with emphasis, that 1 ppm “is equivalent to two thirds of a gallon in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.” For “parts per billion,” that graphic notes, a person should think of “half a teaspoon in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.”
Yet another graphic in the report shows all of the potable water service areas in 2023.
Sarasota County Public Utilities serves more than 268,000 customers throughout the unincorporated areas of the county, the report says. As part of that process, the report points out, the staff maintains more than 1,420 miles of drinking water pipes countywide “and operates approximately 100,000 water connections.”
Additionally, the report discusses “hard water” and “soft water.”
“Water hardness refers to the amount of dissolved calcium
and magnesium that is present in water,” the report explains. “This can be measured in grains per gallon (grains/Gal) as well as milligrams per liter (mg/L.) The term ‘softening’ refers to the removal of dissolved calcium and magnesium in water.”
Then the report notes, “Sarasota County’s raw water source starts at 1120 mg/L and is softened to around 120-125 mg/L.”
Soft water, it adds, “requires less soap for cleaning since the soap does not have to bond with calcium ions.” However the report points out, “Soft water can cause pitting in pipes depending on material type.”
Another section tackles the taste and smell issues:
“One of the challenges Sarasota County Public Utilities faces is the chance of seasonal taste and odor in the water supply. With about two-thirds of our water supply coming from lakes and reservoirs, residents may notice seasonal changes in water quality,” that section acknowledges.
“With these natural seasonal fluctuations, some residents may experience an earthy or musty taste and/or odor in the water,” the report continues. “Some people may be more sensitive to taste and odor compounds than others. While this temporary taste and/or odor can be unpleasant, the water still meets all regulatory safety standards. The report also points out, “To help mitigate any taste and odor issues, the water treatment plants will use copper sulfate and powdered-activated carbon to improve water quality.”
Further, it suggests, “Residents may choose to keep their water in a pitcher in the refrigerator or use a carbon filter after the faucet to change the taste and odor of their water. Sarasota County Public Utilities staff reassures you that our water is safe for consumption and daily use.”
To view the 2023 report and prior ones, dating to 2014, visit this county webpage.