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Dade City wastewater capacity drives East Pasco planning discussions
Summary
At the Pasco County East County Cities workshop, city and county officials warned that Dade City's wastewater treatment system will need expansion or replacement as developers reserve plant capacity and growth accelerates; county staff said they are committed to partnership and exploring funding and regulatory options.
Dade City leaders and Pasco County officials on Sept. 10 focused on mounting wastewater and regional water‑use challenges on the East Side as growth accelerates.
"We've been talking about, a sewer issue ... we feel as a county that we need to step up and whether and hopefully ask that they'd say to be a partner with us or we'll take it all along and you can get the service of that," Pasco County Chairman O'Keefe said during the East County Cities workshop, summarizing the problem of capacity and developer reservations for treatment plant capacity.
Leslie Porter, Dade City's city manager, told the group the city's wastewater treatment plant sits in a historically African American neighborhood and is under active redesign. She said the plant has been updated over the years but that long‑term capacity planning and siting remain pressing concerns: developers have already purchased capacity rights and some are not yet building, while others want to proceed immediately.
Mike Carballa, Pasco County administrator, said county utility directors have initiated coordination with city staff and consultants and that the county is committed to working on treatment, permitting and service agreements. County staff indicated they are reviewing service agreements and potential amendments to ensure capacity is allocated and used appropriately.
City utility staff said they are pursuing a larger water‑use permit and examining conservation and fixture‑efficiency measures that could reduce demand. Dade City representatives noted their recent adoption of a Florida Water Star ordinance for new development but said aligning standards for customers served outside city limits remains a challenge.
Why it matters: Officials said wastewater capacity constrains economic development and safe, sanitary growth. The conversation included equity concerns — officials pointed to the plant's location in a historically Black neighborhood and said relocation or redesign could address past harms while supporting future jobs and housing.
What’s next: County and city staff will continue technical coordination on plant design, utility service agreements and permit work, and will pursue available state and federal funding opportunities to support infrastructure improvements.
Sources: Workshop remarks by Chairman O'Keefe, Dade City city manager Leslie Porter and Pasco County administrator Mike Carballa.
