Our Water

By Gary Peterson

Over the years we have obtained our drinking water here in the Keys in a few different ways. The old way was collecting rainwater in cisterns that were large enough to supply water throughout the year.
Now we have the FKAA (Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority) who has pipes running all the way from the mainland west of Florida City near Everglades National Park (Biscayne Aquifer) to Key West which is about 120 plus miles of pipe. This supplies the entire Keys.

I learned recently, when talking to Julie Cheon of FKAA, that their are also three RO (reverse osmosis) systems used for the Keys. These systems produce water for the Keys when we are in a drought situation or emergencies. They are expensive to run because of the filters and electricity needed. But they are great backup systems when water is scarce. The three RO systems are located in Key West, which produces about 2 million gallons a day, Marathon about 1 million a day and Florida City about 6 million a day.

It is always comforting to know there are alternative ways to get potable water. I think it is important for people everywhere to find ways to save and find alternative ways to get water. If you have any ideas on how you are saving or have alternative ways of getting water at your home or community we at CGS would love to hear from you.