Melbourne seeks $20 million grant to reduce reliance on algae-prone lake for drinking water

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Melbourne is seeking more than $20 million in state funding to modernize its water treatment system.

It comes after residents complained this summer about tap water that looked, smelled and tasted unusual during an algae bloom in Lake Washington.

The backstory:

The Melbourne City Council voted to direct staff to pursue a grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to help fund upgrades to the city's water treatment plant. The grant would cover about one-quarter of the project's estimated $80 million cost.

District 3 Council Member David Neuman said the city is focused on improving drinking water quality.

"We really want to make sure that we're doing our darnedest and best job to give them the best water quality possible."

About 75% of Melbourne's drinking water comes from Lake Washington, which city officials say is difficult to treat because of periodic algae blooms, storms and other environmental conditions. During a recent bloom, residents reported that their tap water smelled "moldy" or like "muddy dirt." City officials said the water remained safe to drink but acknowledged the bloom affected its taste and odor.

Neuman said the city is working to address those concerns.

"We're trying to make sure we are doing everything in our power to address any concerns that do come upon this."

What's next:

The city has already completed a deep injection well to dispose of wastewater generated during treatment. The next phase calls for construction of several groundwater production wells that would reduce the amount of water drawn from Lake Washington by supplementing the system with treated brackish groundwater.

"Making sure we are not drawing from Lake Washington. It's taking our brackish water, reverse osmosing it and putting it in our water supply."

Once the project is complete, officials expect the city's water supply to be split more evenly between Lake Washington and treated brackish groundwater, reducing the impact of future algae blooms on drinking water quality.

Although the DEP grant would cover only about 25% of the total cost, city officials said the project will move forward regardless of whether the funding is awarded.

Neuman said the city plans to finance the remaining costs without shifting the burden to residents.

"We're pursuing grants and sources of revenue that don't come off the backs of our taxpayers."