AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY (ASR) WELLS

Overview: An ASR Well is an underground vertical reservoir in which water is stored and then retrieved when needed. This is a relatively new technology. The first ASR well began operation at Wildwood, New Jersey in 1969. Based on the success of this well (it is still in operation) there has been sustained growth in the application of ASR wells. The Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, indicates that there are currently 130 such wells in operation in the United States .

West Palm Beach Well: The West Palm Beach well is approximately 1000 feet deep, reaching into the Upper Floridan Aquifer, (see hydrology map.) Excess, unprocessed drinking water from Clear Lake is pumped down the well to displace the brackish water that resides there, creating a pocket of fresh water. This fresh water can be stored long term and recovered when needed, especially during droughts.

We have the capability of pumping up to eight million gallons per day (8/mgd) of excess water into storage. Storing water in this manner limits the amount of land required for storage (just an acre or two per well,) resulting in significant cost savings compared to the standard reservoir. The fresh water stored in our ASR well is not subject to evapotranspiration and seepage losses. Our expected output (recovery) rate is 10/mgd.

The C.H. 2 M. Hill organization provided design-engineering services for the project. Curry Controls was our construction company.
Construction began in April of 2000 and was completed in January of 2001

The cost of the West Palm Beach ASR well was one million, seven hundred thousand ($ 1,700,000) dollars. The South Florida Water Management District assisted the City to defray the cost of the project by proving a much-appreciated grant of two hundred thousand ($200,000) dollars.

South Florida Hydrology