Oct. 7--PLANT CITY -- City commissioners have voted to re-enter negotiations with Two Rivers Ranch as a possible customer of reclaimed water.

Robert Thomas, owner of the ranch off State Road 39 north of the city, said his 22-square-mile spread could be an ideal customer for the city's reclaimed water supply. The ranch has been mentioned as a potential customer ever since the city first began offering reclaimed water in the mid-1990s.

Reclaimed water is wastewater that is cleansed so it is suitable for certain irrigation and industrial purposes.

The city's biggest customer for reclaimed water is CF Industries, a phosphate processing company north of the city off State Road 39, also known as Paul Buchman Highway. The plant uses about 2 million gallons each day in its processing.

"CF Industries' use of reclaimed water reduces their need for well water by the same amount," said Frank Coughenour, the city's utilities operation manager.

The city treats 3 to 7 million gallons of wastewater each day and the reclaimed water the city doesn't sell is discharged into a canal.

Thomas said the Two Rivers Ranch's southeast section borders the west side of S.R. 39, across from the phosphate plant on the east side of the highway.

"We could easily place a pipe under 39 and tap into the main line going to CFI from Plant City's reclaimed water line," Thomas told the commissioners during a Sept. 28 workshop at City Hall.

The ranch is exploring a number of options, including injecting the reclaimed water underground to mitigate groundwater withdrawals from other parts of the property to irrigate hay and grasses.

Two Rivers could take from 150,000 to 1 million gallons of reclaimed water per day

Thomas said Southwest Florida Water Management District officials asked him to re-establish contact with Plant City to discuss the environmental and permitting requirements to make the deal.

Reporter George H. Newman can be reached at (813) 731-8161.

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