Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) facilities have been used in the United States for over 30 years and they were first operational in Florida in 1983. Currently, there are at least twelve ASR facilities in south Florida undergoing operational testing. The facilities are being used to inject and recover treated and untreated groundwater, partially treated surface water, and reclaimed wastewater. This technology causes many questions regarding the application of ASR as a water resource conservation tool to arise. However, ASR is not an unknown and untested technology.
See the short video at left for a visual introduction to the Wonderful World of Aquifer Storage and Recovery.
How ASR Works
ASR refers to the process of recharge and storage of water in an aquifer system during times when water is plentiful (typically during the wet season in south Florida), and recovery of the stored water during times when it is needed. ASR can function as a traditional surface water reservoir; however, aquifer storage eliminates evaporation losses (which can be relatively large) and the requirement to convert large acres of land into reservoirs.
The total volume saved over several years can exceed the storage capacity in a reservoir. It may also increase availability of large volumes of water during severe, multi-year drought, augmenting deficient surface water supplies for the human and natural system consumption. Most operational ASR facilities in Florida store treated drinking water in the upper Floridan Aquifer, primarily in areas where the aquifer contains brackish water. Water is injected and displaces native water in the aquifer to form a "freshwater bubble". The shape of this "bubble" may be highly irregular depending on aquifer system physical properties (e.g., fractures, conduits, and variable permeability). Injected freshwater is later recovered from the aquifer during dry seasons of high demand. When recovered from the aquifer, this water normally requires only disinfection before being conveyed to the water distribution system.
While some of these facilities are not in full operation, they will provide a vast amount of data to support planning of the ASR concept as proposed for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and SFWMD. The current operational ASR Facilities in Florida are used for seasonal storage, storing water during the wet season and recovering it during a subsequent dry season. Alternatively, the CERP projects proposed to use ASR to assist in even longer-range water supply planning by storing water during wet years and delaying recovery until needed years later. The uncertainty of such an application of ASR and feasibility in south Florida could be solidified with the data obtained from the pilot projects and other ASR facilities.
The information provided on this site is a compilation of material from a variety of sources and purposes. The South Florida Water Management District does not support nor refute the accuracy of the information within, and the user of the information should consider its source and purpose.
Water Supply Plans
Aquifer Storage & Recovery
