Staff say Brevard County faces $500 million drainage backlog and urge revenue options and staffing increases

Natural Resources and Public Works staff told commissioners that Brevard County has a substantial backlog of drainage and stormwater projects and that available local funding covers only a portion of planned work.

Virginia Barker, director of Natural Resources, outlined the county’s water-management responsibilities and said the Save Our Indian River Lagoon program remains an important source for water-quality projects; staff told the board there is about $61,000,000 remaining in SORL funds for priority basins. Barker also reviewed regulatory drivers, including the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit, and said state mandates and basin-management requirements shape project priorities.

Public Works staff presented maps of documented drainage concerns since 2012, explained a multi‑phase Crane Creek/Lamplighter Village retrofit that included three 48‑inch culverts under I‑95 and a 20‑acre stormwater pond, and said FEMA Hazard Mitigation grant funding covered 75% of that project’s cost with local match made possible by delaying other projects.

Mark Bernath (Public Works) and colleagues emphasized the scale of unmet needs: “We have approximately $500,000,000 in already identified unfunded drainage projects,” staff said, and the department’s broader unfunded backlog for transportation, facilities and roads is now estimated at about $3,600,000,000. Staff described specific operational proposals to narrow the gap: adding two countywide drainage crews ($2,100,000 in capital equipment and $930,000 recurring), expanding vac‑truck and camera crews (five trucks total; $2,700,000 capital plus $600,000 recurring), increasing annual capital equipment funding ($2,000,000 per year), and adding field inspectors and engineers to manage larger project volumes.

Staff also described current stormwater assessment revenue of roughly $6,700,000 per year, restricted by ordinance and state statute to stormwater projects and ongoing maintenance, and existing grant leverage (approximately $8,000,000 in grants plus $3,750,000 in ARPA funds this year) that stretches local dollars. Staff briefed commissioners on possible revenue paths — surtaxes, sales-tax options, public-service fees and fuel taxes — and warned the board that a tight schedule governs any ballot measures if they are to be considered for the November ballot.

Commissioners asked for more detail on district-level priorities and for staff to return with options and an implementation schedule; staff said many projects will still require grant matches, easements or property acquisitions and that some structural fixes require years of planning and permitting.