PRWC Regional Water Supply Planning, Funding, And Design
Planning, Funding, and Design Services to Support Community Water Needs
The larger alternative water supply treatment and transmission project includes over 60 miles of pipes. Photo credit: Garney Construction.
The transmission main system is in final design with elements that are currently under construction. Photo credit: Garney Construction.
Our firm is leading the modeling and design of the transmission system. Photo credit: Garney Construction.
Our work entails the plan and profile design of 8- to 48-inch raw water and potable water transmission pipelines to distribute water to multiple municipalities throughout Polk County. Photo credit: Garney Construction.
- Client
- Polk Regional Water Cooperative
- Location
- Polk County, FL
- Markets
- Water
- Cost
- $807 million total program cost
- Completed
- Ongoing
- Region
- Southeast
Our firmplayed a key role in assisting in the establishment of the Polk Regional Water Cooperative (PRWC) in Florida with the goal of addressing Polk County’s water supply needs. Planning efforts included identifying key water system elements that would need to be added to existing infrastructure, a water supply assessment, and permitting. Initial planning evaluated both ground and surface water options. It was determined that nontraditional lower Floridan Aquifer groundwater supply would be more feasible and cost-effective at this time, although surface water options may be included in future expansions.
Wealso assisted in the development of a plan to finance and fund PRWC’s projects. To aid in the creation of a funding framework, the PRWC established a funding workgroup, which our firm led, to review funding opportunities from federal, state, and alternative sources. Our team worked with several municipalities, the rate consultant Raftelis, a financial advisor, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) officials, and state revolving fund (SRF) officials to develop the funding plan and supporting documentation.
The overall funding approach proved successful and has resulted in the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s cost-share funding commitment of $227 million, a WIFIA loan for $305 million, SRF loans totaling $214 million, Heartland Grants for $26.3 million, a federal grant of $2 million, and state and Florida Department of Environmental Protection grants for over $32.7 million. In total, over $807 million have been secured to offset project costs.
As part of the larger alternative water supply treatment and transmission project that involves the design and construction of two water production facilities (WPFs), multiple wellfields, and over 60 miles of pipelines, our firm is leading the modeling and design of the transmission system. Our work entails the plan and profile design of approximately 65 miles of 8- to 48-inch raw water and potable water transmission pipelines to distribute water to multiple municipalities throughout Polk County. Our route analysis included significant modeling efforts to carefully plan and show alternative routes to deliver the water to each member municipality. The transmission main system is in final design with elements that are currently under construction.
Our firm is also designing both the raw water and transmission system mains at the West Polk Lower Floridan Aquifer WPF. Final design of this portion of the pipeline project will commence in the summer of 2025.
$807 million
in project costs offset
65 miles
of raw water and transmission pipelines
