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Board directs staff to meet with Sunset Manor residents after reports of failing private water system
Summary
After public comments that a privately managed water system serving 21 homes needs roughly $150,000 in repairs, the Hillsborough County board received staff's report and directed outreach, funding‑option assistance and the possibility of future connection to county water, subject to fees and standards.
The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners on May 6 received a staff report on Sunset Manor, a northeast county subdivision where a privately owned community water system serves 21 homes, and directed staff to hold a community meeting to outline costs and options.
Colleen Crook, president of the Sunset Manor Homeowners Association, told commissioners the system is about 40 years old and that the HOA faces repairs she described as “over a $150,000” for the neighborhood. Crook said county staff had told residents the county could not assume the system until 2029–2031 and asked the board to consider assuming management in the interim.
Kevin Moran, a water engineer in the county’s Environmental Services division, told the board the water system is regulated by the Florida Department of Health and that county policy generally does not permit taking over rural, privately owned systems unless they meet the county’s technical standards. Moran said a typical path would require the neighborhood to pay to bring infrastructure up to standard, including connection and impact fees, though he noted residents might pursue a state revolving loan or other financing to cover work.
Moran estimated repairs could amount to roughly $7,200 per home in one scenario and reiterated that, if a county water main is built on Sunset Lane in the future, the board could grant an exception to allow connection in the rural area. He also warned that the county has hundreds of smaller HOA‑owned water systems and that any acquisition would set a precedent.
Chair Ken Hagan moved to receive the report, schedule a community meeting between staff and Sunset Manor residents to walk through the scope and costs, assist the community in identifying funding options, and, if the community chooses to connect in the future, authorize a connection subject to applicable fees and technical requirements. The motion was seconded and carried unanimously.
The motion directs staff to return with additional outreach and analysis; no immediate county takeover was authorized. The board also asked staff to present funding eligibility avenues — including the state revolving loan program — and to explain how any acquisition would be charged so existing county ratepayers are not unexpectedly burdened.
The board’s action ends with the staff‑directed community engagement and follow‑up reporting rather than a direct financial commitment from the county.
