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Facilities
George French Water Reclamation Facility (WRF)
- Design Capacity at 200 mg/l BOD is 6 mgd.
- Treatment Process includes mechanical treatment with rotating screens, grit separation, and equalization basin.
- Biological Treatment via 4 – 1 mgd and 1 – 2 mgd oxidation ditches followed by clarification.
Secondary disinfection with chlorine contact chambers. - Secondary effluent is then further treated to produce reclaimed water by flocculation, filtration, and high level disinfection with chlorine contact chambers.
- Secondary effluent disposal to rapid infiltration basins. Reclaimed water is reused for landscape irrigation of shopping centers, condominium complexes, golf courses, parks, individual residences, and plant washdown and grounds irrigation.
- Wet weather storage is provided by three ground storage tanks with 6.6 mg capacity.
- Biosolids disposal is by land application.
Drinking Water
Where does your water come from?
The Floridan Aquifer supplies all drinking required by Destin Water Users, Inc. DWU operates five coastal wells. These wells are currently under mandated cutbacks. Additional water supply capacity is provided by a remote wellfield developed jointly with South Walton Utility Company, Inc. These inland wells are also completed in the Floridan. The combination of coastal and inland wells provide the capacity needed to supply the needs of our build-out population. DWU and SWUC recently completed a desalinization study that shows that method of water supply is very feasible. This particular study updated a similar study completed in 1997 and shows a definite decline in cost of the water and also firmly established the feasibility for the future.DWU has three elevated storage tanks and one ground storage tank. Together with standby power at our wells, capability to handle all peak hour and fire flow demands is available.
To review our latest water quality report click HERE
Precautionary Boil Water Notice (PBWN)
You may have heard about or noticed a significant increase in the number of precautionary boil
water notices (PBWN) issued by Destin Water Users, Inc. and other local water utilities in the recent
past. Does this mean that the quality and safety or our water has declined? Does this mean that
DWU’s water mains are breaking more so than in the past? Absolutely not! Rather, changes in
regulatory rules are now requiring that water utilities in Florida issue precautionary boil water
notices whenever water service to an area has been turned off, if even for a short while.
Why is the issuance of a PBWN required? When breaks or changes occur in water lines, the normal
pressure in the line may be reduced or lost and the possibility exists for contaminants to enter that
line. The odds of this happening are extremely remote, but to be extra cautious precautionary boil
water notices are placed in effect while routine bacteriological sampling is conducted. Usually, two
separate sets of samples are taken, each needing 24 hours to be considered complete. When both
sets of samples come back "clean", the precautionary boil water notice is lifted (or “rescinded”).
These advisories only affect water that is intended for consumption or cooking.
For more information on PBWN click HERE
If you provide water to visitors or employees, use commercially produced bottled water for drinking or beverage preparation (coffee) during the PBWN. You should also take steps such as posting notices at, or disabling water fountains and ice machines. Foodservice operations have several additional requirements and should contact the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation at (850)487-1395 for specific instructions.
For more information on food industry requirements click HERE
Hurricanes
DWU has emergency plans in place for hurricane response and will do everything possible to make necessary repairs in an efficient and timely manner. Should you experience either a loss of water service or a noticeable loss in water pressure during or after a hurricane, we recommend you take additional steps to disinfect any water intended for consumption or cooking until the water system is restored.
For more information on emergency disinfection of drinking water click HERE
Reclaimed Water Operation
The majority of all wastewater returned to our wastewater reclamation facility is treated and sent back out for beneficial reuse. Most of this reclaimed water is reused for landscape irrigation with a significant amount being used each day for in-plant operations. The DWU reclaimed water operation began in 1985, making it one of the most mature operations in Florida.
CIS/Billing/Metering
DWU uses custom software for its customer information system and billing systems. Bills are computed and mailed monthly. Currently all meters 2” and up are tested annually for accuracy.