Gulf Power Company has won a national award for its water reuse project with Emerald Coast Utility Authority, after reusing nearly 5 billion gallons of treated wastewater at its Plant Crist electricity generating plant north of Pensacola.

The WateReuse Association named Gulf Power the Water Reuse Customer of the Year. In 2010, ECUA began piping water from its new water treatment plant to Gulf Power, which uses the water in its steam generating process.

Gulf Power has reclaimed more than 4.8 billion gallons of reclaimed water — the equivalent of 7,318 Olympic-size swimming pools. 

The WateReuse Customer of the Year Award recognizes customers who have advanced the acceptance of water reuse through innovative marketing and/or unique applications of reclaimed water.

“With our scrubber system we are providing cleaner electricity for Northwest Florida, but this partnership with ECUA also helps preserve and conserve a valuable natural resource,” said Jeff Rogers, Corporate Communications Manager. “It shows that through partnerships, we can provide solutions for sustainable resources and responsible growth. This partnership benefits Northwest Florida with cleaner air and cleaner water.”

The California-based WateReuse Association, formed in 1990, is a nonprofit organization aimed at advancing the beneficial and efficient uses of high-quality, locally produced, sustainable water sources. Across the United States and the world, communities are facing water supply challenges due to increasing demand on groundwater and other sources.

At Plant Crist, Gulf Power has significantly reduced the amount of water it draws from Escambia River. The reclaimed water, which is highly treated, is used by Plant Crist to cool air going into the scrubber system and for equipment-cooling operations. Up to 80 percent of the water is evaporated.

The scrubber system, which cost $645 million and started operating in December 2009, reduces regulated air emissions from Plant Crist by more than 95 percent.

The partnership with ECUA won the Sustainable Florida Award in 2010. A year later, it won the 2011 Industry Excellence Award from the Southeastern Electric Exchange, which includes 20 major utilities in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic from Texas to Maryland and Virginia. Gulf Power also won the David York Water Reuse Award from the Florida Water Environment Association earlier this year.

Gulf Power Company is an investor-owned electric utility with all of its common stock owned by Atlanta-based Southern Company. Gulf Power serves more than 430,000 customers in eight counties throughout Northwest Florida. The company’s mission is to safely provide exceptional customer value by delivering reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible electricity while strengthening our communities. Visit online at GulfPower.com or on the company’s Facebook page, “Gulf Power Company.”