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Florida Keys

Today, more than three million visitors come to the Keys each year to enjoy the beauty and lifestyle that Hemingway found so appealing. Tourism is the number one industry on the archipelago. Visitors come for sun, scuba, sailing and scenery. Many who come to visit end up living here year round.

The influx of people and burgeoning economy has come at a price for the Keys. In the 1980s it was discovered that pollution, largely from wastewater, had reached dangerous levels. The magnificent coral reefs and marine life, which are the foundation of the region’s tourism industry, were in jeopardy. Tropical and game fish were endangered and some bodies of water became unsafe for swimming. Residents, as well as local and state officials, began to realize that a great natural resource was dying unless they addressed their need for proper wastewater management.

Civic and public works officials made the decision to install the AIRVAC vacuum sewer system. Ease of installation was a significant factor in choosing vacuum technology for the Keys’ sewer system, but there were numerous other benefits that made vacuum sewers a perfect fit for this situation. Vacuum sewers are less vulnerable to electrical power loss. No electricity is needed to operate the valve pit and the vacuum stations are equipped with a backup generator, so there will be no loss of sanitary sewer service even if the power is out.

In 2009, the City of Marathon received the Pisces Award from the Environmental Protection Agency for projects that represent a commitment to the state’s aim to achieve sustainable water quality. Marathon was the only city in Florida to receive the award. Marathon’s design won the award in part because of the innovative one-trench design for installation, which includes both sewer and stormwater piping, and was made possible because they installed a closed vacuum system along with the GPS mapping work. They also were lauded for designing a system that produces reuse water, which will provide one million gallons a day of water that can be used on golf courses, football fields and public parks.

Of course, the most important objective of the massive Keys project is a cleaner aquatic environment in and around the islands. When all of the communities throughout the Keys complete their sewer collection and treatment systems, then we will begin to see cleaner water throughout the area.

This article appeared in the September, 2009 issue of CENews. If you would like to read the entire story as it appeared in the magazine, you can download a pdf, or you may request hard copies.

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