AWWA JAW10075

Developing new municipal groundwater supplies involves comprehensive projections of the effects on other users of the aquifer as well as studies of the terrestrial effects on the area surrounding the wellfield. This article describes the studies undertaken by the West Coast Regional Water Supply Authority in Florida to develop a wellfield and to monitor the effects of municipal use on the aquifer in relation to a wet and dry cycle climate. The following factors were monitored: the movement of the interface between saltwater and freshwater; the vitality of the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems; the operation of the neighboring domestic and agricultural well systems; the aesthetics and recreational value of surficial water bodies in the area; and the activity of sinkholes.