Lakeland's trash is TECO's treasure.

Millions of gallons of treated wastewater from Lakeland's two sewage treatment plants are sent daily into the Alafia River and eventually Tampa Bay. But a new plan calls for it instead to be used to cool TECO generators.

A complicated, nearly done deal would send treated sewage to an expanding Tampa Electric's Polk Power Station about 15 miles south of Mulberry.

That means Lakeland would be able to pump considerably more water from the ground than it does now, and that would allow the city to feed new growth, something it's been hindered from doing because of the water needed.

TECO, based in Tampa, "has all the incentive in the world" to complete the deal, said Dave Moore, executive director of the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

And he said there was no way Lakeland would have been permitted to pump more groundwater without providing treated wastewater to TECO.

Lakeland wrangled with Swiftmud for months before reaching an agreement in March that allows the city to withdraw up to 30.2 million gallons of groundwater per day for six years. City officials insisted 35 mgd was a fairer amount, based on planned development in the city. Before the agreement, the maximum amount the city could pump from the ground was 28.1 mgd.

DEAL MAY HAPPEN SOON

The TECO agreement, which Moore said is doable before the end of this year, would allow Lakeland to pump 35 mgd for the next 20 years. City officials say that should be a sufficient amount to serve the area's growing population and give city commissioners the option of approving new building projects over the next two decades.

One benefit is Lakeland won't be forced into a future bind of having to treat lake water to serve the city's water needs. Greg Boettcher, city water utility director, said that would make water four to five times more expensive to provide than pumping groundwater.

Treated wastewater from the city's Northside Sewage Treatment Plant near the McIntosh power plant overlooking Lake Parker is used to cool Lakeland Electric's generators.What's left after evaporation, a liquid heavy in brine and minerals, is sent south to the Glendale Sewage Treatment Plant. That's where it joins treated sewage and is forced into what is called the Lakeland wetland system. That 1,200-acre wetland system, which starts at Eaglebrooke and Loyce Harp Park south of the city, further cleans the treated wastewater as it heads toward Mulberry.Lakeland sends an average of 4.76 mgd to the Alafia. Polk County adds another .45 mgd to Lakeland's flow. That treated wastewater is needed to further dilute the salt from Lakeland's wastewater, Boettcher said.

But in recent years, nobody, particularly Swiftmud, has been happy with Lakeland's treated sewage ending up in the river and Tampa Bay.

Tony Delgado, Lakeland's deputy city manager, said groups of officials from a variety of places, including Plant City, Lakeland, and Polk and Hillsborough counties, have been meeting at the urging of state Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland. Dockery didn't provide solutions, Delgado said, but encouraged the regional cooperation that led to a solution.

Moore said the TECO Polk Power Station plant, which is now in operation, is permitted to use 3 mgd of groundwater daily. The additional treated water from Lakeland will be used for TECO's plant expansion, which TECO spokesman Rick Morera said is expected to be ready by late 2012 or early 2013.

Polk Power Station sits on 4,300 acres on State Road 37 south of Mulberry. It now serves 75,000 homes.