GREEN COVE SPRINGS—The Clay County Utility Authority was honored to take the Leadership Clay group on a tour of the Mid-Clay Wastewater Treatment Facility. The group toured the water filtration system and saw the biosolids created in the final process.

The Mid-Clay facility stores reclaimed water during wet periods for use during dry months and reduces nitrogen to the lower St. Johns River by more than 19,000 pounds a year. Its nine rapid infiltration basins allow the facility to handle more than two million gallons of reclaimed water daily.

“CCUA is proud to be able to share our facilities and explain our systems to the Leadership Clay group and other local groups. The facility tour is always an enlightening experience as many in the public are not aware of the extensive process it takes to ensure our community has water to use every day”, said CCUA’s Executive Director, Jeremy Johnston.

At the Mid-Clay facility, reclaimed water is introduced into the cells, which percolates into the surficial aquifer at the highest elevations of the site, allowing water to be stored in the soils beneath the site. Subsurface movement of this water continues downhill, with a portion to be recaptured in a subsurface collection system. From there, the recaptured water is pumped to CCUA’s adjoining reclaimed water distribution system and used to augment the reclaimed water system.

The Leadership Clay program was created in 2004 to bring together community leaders for a year-long program that enriches their knowledge of the Clay Clay County Utility Authority at 3176 Old Jennings Road in Middleburg. The classes have done county-wide tours focusing on local medical centers, manufacturing, and historical tours. To learn more about CCUA’s facilities and water processes, visit clayutility.org.