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Clermont receives $500,000 DEP grant to study regional alternative water supplies
Summary
Clermont city staff said a $500,000 Florida Department of Environmental Protection grant will fund an engineering study of alternative, nonpotable water supplies for the Wellness Way area, and that the study will look at reclaimed water, stormwater capture and other options coordinated with Lake County and St. Johns River Water Management District.
Clermont city staff told the City Council and the Community Redevelopment Agency during a joint workshop Oct. 21 that a $500,000 grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection will pay for a study of alternative, nonpotable water supplies for the Wellness Way area and adjacent parts of Lake County.
The study will evaluate reclaimed/reuse water, stormwater capture, rainwater harvesting and possible lower-aquifer withdrawals. "It's an all-of-the-above approach," said Stoney (staff member), who briefed the council. He said the city is preparing a request for qualifications for an engineering firm to perform the study, and the contract will direct the firm to coordinate with Lake County, Sunshine (a private utility referenced in the presentation) and St. Johns River Water Management District.
Why it matters: the Wellness Way sector spans land north of the city's utility service line adjacent to Lake County and the lake shoreline. Council members and the county representative in the room said groundwater and surface-water systems cross jurisdictional lines, so decisions in one municipality affect others. City staff and several council members called for a coordinated regional approach to avoid developers using potable drinking water for irrigation and to reduce future well reliance.
Presentation and scope Stoney told the council the study will define options and come back with a full presentation once an engineer is on board. He said staff expects the study to examine reclaimed water reuse, recycled water, stormwater harvesting and potentially the lower aquifer as supply options. "The district is going to have to point us where they expect us to be at the end result," Stoney said, referring to St. Johns River Water Management District.
Public comment and demand-side suggestions Several members of the public urged the city to focus on demand-side measures as well as supply. Kurt Shiel, who identified himself as a VFW member and long-time resident, recommended ordinances and code changes to permit xeriscaping techniques—rock landscaping, artificial turf and permeable materials—that other states treat as permeable. Shiel said Lake County currently treats many of those surfaces as impermeable for irrigation-percentage calculations, and he urged the city to revise rules so property owners and builders can reduce irrigation demand.
Council context and next steps Council members repeatedly said the city's immediate priority is to ensure consistent requirements for stormwater recapture and irrigation across municipal lines so developers cannot "play us against each other." Stoney said the grant runs through 2028. He and other staff said the group anticipates coming back to the council with the engineering team's findings and recommendations for specific infrastructure or ordinance changes.
Permitting and limits of the city Staff cautioned that the study is preliminary and that implementing any large projects could require approvals outside city authority, including St. Johns River Water Management District permits and coordination with Lake County and private utilities. The city will not decide final sources until technical work, permitting guidance and intergovernmental agreements are explored.
Public-record details and funding City staff said the grant is from DEP and covers planning and engineering; the council did not vote on any funding at the workshop. Specific cost estimates for construction or for which agencies would carry implementation costs were not presented and were described as "not specified" pending the study.
What council members asked for Council and CRA members asked staff to: (1) ensure the engineering RFQ explicitly includes regional coordination; (2) return with a presentation and options once a consultant is selected; and (3) explore code and permitting changes that could reduce irrigation demand, including allowing appropriate xeriscape and permeable rock solutions citywide.
Where the record ends Staff and council members closed discussion by asking for the RFQ next steps to be tracked and for a public presentation when the consultant produces findings.
