Wastewater Collection & Treatment

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Wastewater Service Area

More than 39,000 connections are served by Melbourne's wastewater utility system. The service area covers approximately 45 square miles. The service-area boundaries are the incorporated City limits of Melbourne, with the exception of a small commercial development along U.S. 192 that is adjacent with the Melbourne City limits.

The City owns and operates two regional wastewater treatment plants located in the north and south sections of Melbourne. The David B. Lee Water Reclamation Facility is the north wastewater facility with a permitted treatment capacity of 5.0 million gallons per day. The south wastewater treatment facility is known as the Grant Street Wastewater Treatment Plant and has a permitted treatment capacity of 5.1 million gallons per day. Both plants are designed to provide a minimum of secondary treatment. Effluent disposal is accomplished through a combination of deep well injection and reclaimed water distribution. Domestic wastewater residuals, more commonly known as sludge, is biologically and then chemically stabilized with lime. The sludge is then safe for land application. It is spread on locally available pasture land.

A five-year phased program is well underway. This program will improve the quantity and quality of wastewater treatment at both facilities and will provide increased reuse production capability.

Wastewater Collection

Wastewater system customers are served by more than 400 miles of collection lines and 70 lift stations. The D.B. Lee collection system is primarily a force main system. Most of the wastewater flows by gravity from homes and businesses to lift stations. The lift stations then pump the wastewater to the treatment plant. The Grant Street collection system is largely a gravity system. Large gravity mains convey the wastewater to a master lift station located at the treatment plant.