FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  February 23, 2004
CONTACT: Randy Smith, (561) 682-6197

Florida Begins Cleaning Water Through World's Largest Constructed Wetland

 -- “Green” technology accelerating Everglades cleanup--

“Because of the commitment of Governor Bush, restoration of America’s Everglades is ahead of schedule, under budget and exceeding expectations,” said Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary David B. Struhs. “Advanced technologies are working better than expected and guaranteeing continued water quality improvements in the Everglades over the next decade.”

The massive treatment marsh, known as Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) 3/4, uses plants to naturally cleanse excess nutrients from water. When necessary, STA 3/4 will also provide important water storage, capturing 250,000 acre-feet of water from Lake Okeechobee to reduce harmful discharges of lake water to coastal estuaries.

The South Florida Water Management District is accelerating cleanup using the latest “green” technology in STA 3/4. Years ahead of schedule, the first full scale use of this advanced technology uses algae and aquatic plants to further clean phosphorus from stormwater leaving agricultural and urban areas.

“Today marks another milestone in Florida’s commitment to improve water quality in the Everglades,” said South Florida Water Management District Executive Director Henry Dean. “Saving the Everglades is Florida’s number one environmental priority. It is critical to South Florida – for our environment, economy and quality of life.”

Florida invested $197 million to construct STA 3/4. During construction, engineers moved more than 11 million cubic yards of dirt and rock to excavate 29 miles of canals and construct 31 miles of levees. Workers dug 15 feet below sea level to construct two pump stations, which will manage water from the Miami and North New River Canals. Equipped with seven large diesel pumps, the stations can push more than four billion gallons of water into the treatment marsh every day.

As part of its intensive schedule to improve water quality in America’s Everglades, Florida is now operating more than 41,000 acres of constructed wetlands. Together with improved farming practices, Stormwater Treatment Areas have prevented nearly 1400 tons of phosphorus from entering the Everglades over the last decade.