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Utility staff warn of nearly $800M wastewater/water shortfall, cite regulatory deadlines and likely rate and fee increases
Summary
Utility Services staff told commissioners the county faces roughly $793 million in unfunded water and wastewater needs to meet evolving state and federal standards, discussed potential consent‑order risk and said connection fees and rates are being reviewed.
County utility staff told commissioners during a March 17 budget workshop that a combination of new treatment standards and higher construction costs has produced a large capital shortfall for water and wastewater projects.
Staff summarized the capital list for utility services and said the county currently has about $71 million funded against projects they estimated at roughly $865 million in total need, leaving about $793 million unfunded. The presentation linked those needs to state and federal nutrient‑removal and PFAS requirements and to recent construction cost inflation.
On legal risk, staff described a consent order as an enforcement mechanism the Florida Department of Environmental Protection can use under Chapter 403 if the county fails to meet statutory deadlines. Staff said some wastewater regulatory thresholds are timed around 2032 and that the EPA’s PFAS schedule is linked to a 2029 threshold (subject to change with federal or state rulemaking).
Staff said projects are being advanced into design so the county can be grant‑ready; they also said they are working with state and federal lobbyists to secure funding. Staff described steps the county will likely take to cover costs: submitting projects for low‑interest state revolving funds (staff said the program currently limits awards to around $25 million per entity), pursuing debt financing, adjusting connection fees (examples cited of sewer connection fees roughly doubling) and considering rate changes. A rate consultant is reviewing models and staff expects monthly rate recommendations in two to three months.
Commissioners asked whether insufficient funding could cause moratoria on new sewer connections or delayed permits; staff said legal enforcement could include consent orders but that the county currently has a window to plan and bring projects forward. Staff emphasized that being further along in design increases competitiveness for grants.
No formal rate or fee decision was made at the workshop. Staff said they will return with detailed connection‑fee and rate proposals and that the Board directed staff to include infrastructure funding options in the millage evaluation ordered by the Board.
