Water & Waste

Water and waste generate about 4% of emissions in Miami-Dade County. Everyone in the community contributes to these emissions. The average person in Miami-Dade produces over 1 ton of garbage a year and consumes 140 gallons of water per day

Approach 6: Convert Waste to Energy
Miami-Dade’s Department of Solid Waste Management (DSWM) and its Water and Sewer Department (WASD) are the County’s largest service providers for processing waste, water, and wastewater services in the county. These services are essential for community, environmental, and economic sustainability. For decades, both departments have burned waste to produce energy. By investing in new, more efficient facilities the County can create more energy, avoid harmful methane emissions, and avoid sending waste to the landfill

Approach 7: Reduce Waste and Water Use
Producing less waste and using less water are the easiest and cheapest ways to reduce emissions. In Miami-Dade County each person produces an average of six pounds of garbage and uses 140 gallons of water every day. Moving and processing that garbage and water takes a lot of electricity and fuel, which costs residents and businesses money. County water conservation, recycling, composting, and food recovery programs help reduce waste. Community-led initiatives and entrepreneurial innovation can have an even bigger impact by creating new businesses and jobs.

Progress Highlights

Landfill Gas

Landfill gas (LFG) is a byproduct of the decomposition of organic material in landfills. LFG is composed of roughly 50 percent methane which is a potent greenhouse gas. Miami-Dade Department of Solid Waste Management is employing a landfill gas extraction system as part of its landfill operations and worked with Miami-Dade Water & Sewer Department at the South Dade Landfill to send compressed landfill gas to WASD for use in cogeneration engines to produce electricity and heat.

Biosolids to Hydrogen

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) $1.5M HyBrTec Biosolids-to-Hydrogen Pilot Plant grant was awarded to Miami-Dade Water & Sewer Department. The pilot will test an innovative Biosolids-to-Hydrogen process. The resulting hydrogen is available for transport or use as a chemical commodity, and it can also be used in a generator to produce electricity. The pilot is wrapping up the design and construction phase and will soon enter its testing and analysis phase at the Miami-Dade Water & Sewer Central District Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Water Audits

As part of countywide efforts to reduce water use and improve efficiency, Miami-Dade Water & Sewer Department in collaboration with University of Florida offers free landscape irrigation evaluations to single-family homeowners and large property owners. These assessments show property owners areas of improvement and recommendations for water efficiency and rebates are offered to property owners who follow up with the suggested improvements thereby saving water, energy and money.