Gulf Power, ECUA Water Reuse Project Wins National Award

October 1, 2012

Gulf Power Company has won a national award for its water reuse project with Emerald Coast Utility Authority, after reusing nearly five billion gallons of treated wastewater at its Plant Crist rather than water from the Escambia River.

The WateReuse Association named Gulf Power the Water Reuse Customer of the Year. In 2010, ECUA began piping water from its new water treatment plant in Cantonment to Gulf Power, which uses the water in its steam generating process.

Gulf Power has reclaimed more than 4.8 billion gallons of reclaimed water — the equivalent of 7,318 Olympic-size swimming pools.

The award recognizes customers who have advanced the acceptance of water reuse through innovative marketing and/or unique applications of reclaimed water.

“With our scrubber system we are providing cleaner electricity for Northwest Florida, but this partnership with ECUA also helps preserve and conserve a valuable natural resource,” said Jeff Rogers, Corporate Communications Manager. “It shows that through partnerships, we can provide solutions for sustainable resources and responsible growth. This partnership benefits Northwest Florida with cleaner air and cleaner water.”

At Plant Crist, Gulf Power has significantly reduced the amount of water it draws from Escambia River. The reclaimed water, which is highly treated, is used by Plant Crist to cool air going into the scrubber system and for equipment-cooling operations. Up to 80 percent of the water is evaporated.

The scrubber system, which cost $645 million and started operating in December 2009, reduces regulated air emissions from Plant Crist by more than 95 percent.

Pictured top: Gulf Power’s Plant Crist with a scrubber system in operation (right tower). Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News