SMR Farms in Bradenton, Fla., has a hefty irrigation bill, with
more than 4,500 acres under irrigation, but the bill is kept in
check by using wastewater from a local treatment plant. The
operation was a pioneer in Manatee County in the use of
reclaimed water for irrigation, originally bringing the water in
to supply citrus trees. “It’s been very successful here; it’s
resulted in very substantial groundwater savings over the life
of the system,” says Mac Carraway, SMR Farms president. The
wastewater is usually considered an effluent, but it is
environmentally safe by the time it reaches the farm, he says.
The safety is ensured by the treatment plants, all regulated by
the Florida Department of Environmental Protection under the
Florida Administrative Code. The code outlines how and where the
water may be used, detailing monitoring and inspections of the
treatment plants for code compliance and farm inspections to
monitor the safe use of the water according to the plant’s
departmental permit. The Florida Depar