High Springs discusses County Road 236 sewer extension, grant funding and costs for about 20 homes

High Springs commissioners on Monday reviewed the County Road 236 wastewater extension and septic-phase-out project, hearing consultants describe why the work is part of the Santa Fe River Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP), how House Bill 1379 affects septic installations in priority focus areas, and how state and federal grant money would pay most construction costs while leaving questions about resident impact fees and long-term utility bills.

Consultants from Mittauer Engineering told the commission the County Road 236 area lies inside the Santa Fe River BMAP and a narrower "priority focus area," meaning nitrogen reductions are a state priority. "The BMAP calls out specific nutrient reduction milestones for each community," said Greg Lang, a consultant with Mittauer, adding that projects such as the infiltrative wetlands, plant expansion and the 236 sewer extension all contribute toward meeting those milestones.

The consultants and staff also discussed House Bill 1379, the 2023 state law that took effect Jan. 1, 2024, and which restricts new conventional septic systems in BMAP areas and requires connection to sewer when available. "If sewer's available, you hook up; if it's not, you must install an enhanced nutrient-reducing septic system for parcels of one acre or less," said…