Boca Raton was an early proponent of reclaimed water, having started its first reclamation irrigation system in 1992. Today, Boca Raton uses approximately seven million gallons of reclaimed water every day for irrigation, Utilities Services Director Chris Helfrich said. The program has cost the city approximately $25 million. ?EUR??,,????'??We will be spending another $13 million over the next five years,?EUR??,,????'?? Helfrich said. Other towns in the county, like Boynton Beach and Delray Beach are following suit.

?EUR??,,????'??It has been mandatory since 1995 for new communities to install the infrastructure to use reclaimed water for irrigation,?EUR??,,????'?? said Hassan Hadjimiry, director of regulatory compliance for the Palm Beach County Utilities Department. Developments that have rejected using reclaimed water, usually because of the expense, have to renegotiate the issue when their water permit expires, he said. The permits issued by the South Florida Water Management District, usually last for 20 years, he said. ?EUR??,,????'??The problem is most neighborhoods are already established, and it?EUR??,,????'???s easier to do piping in new ones,?EUR??,,????'?? he said.

However, there are some hesitations about using reclaimed water. Carl Jacobs, of Boca Raton, believes that desalinization is a better choice. ?EUR??,,????'??My concern is they?EUR??,,????'???re putting out reclaimed water that is not up to standard and not putting up signs warning people,?EUR??,,????'?? he said. However, officials maintain that the water is highly treated with chlorine and that it?EUR??,,????'???s not possible to confuse it with drinking water, so that it is not a health risk anymore.