Commissioners press for targeted INI study before costly reverse-osmosis projects

Flagler Beach commissioners spent a substantial portion of the meeting debating how best to address high infiltration and inflow (INI) into the wastewater system and whether the city should commit to a costly reverse-osmosis (RO) solution or first pursue targeted repairs and studies.

Commissioner Cunningham argued that eliminating INI sources could reduce or eliminate the need for RO: "If we eliminate the INI, you don't have to have reverse osmosis," he said, warning that RO systems carry large energy and operating costs. He estimated that an RO facility could cost close to $1 million a year to operate and stressed the city should explore repairing service laterals and other sources first.

City Manager Drew and other commissioners said the city needs more precise data. Drew said staff plans to include smoke-camera and CCTV testing in next year's budget to better locate INI sources and that consultants (McKim & Creed referenced in discussion) have provided data suggesting a mix of causes. He described ongoing efforts to seek state appropriations and a federal funding request that could total multiple millions; he also described exploring reuse destinations and countywide partnerships as alternatives to deep-well injection.

Commissioners discussed trade-offs: lining mains will not fix defective private laterals; property owners typically bear responsibility for service-line repairs but the city can study where INI is entering the system. Several commissioners urged a formal study and prioritized locating the largest INI contributors before committing to major capital outlays such as RO or deep-injection wells.

Next steps recorded in the meeting included pursuing smoke-testing and camera work in the coming budget cycle, continuing consultant analysis, exploring reuse and regional options, and following up on pending state and congressional appropriation requests.