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Broward County outlines $795M five-year utility capital plan as POS and bio solids rules bite
Summary
County water officials told commissioners the five-year capital program totals roughly $795 million driven by treatment work to address POS (pilot/filter design underway) and new bio solids disposal rules; staff estimated POS work could cost $400—$500 million and bio solids handling $200—$300 million, and said settlement funds of about $22 million will help fund design costs.
Alan Garcia, director of Water & Wastewater Services, told the Broward County Commission that the utility faces major capital and operating challenges over the next five years tied to emerging treatment requirements and bio solids disposal rules.
Garcia said the county's five-year capital program is roughly $795 million, driven principally by POS-related treatment upgrades (a pilot study of filters is wrapping up and staff is moving into design) and by new bio solids handling needs. He said POS-related plant improvements are on a multi-hundred-million dollar scale (staff estimated about $400—$500 million for POS filtration and related upgrades) and that bio solids disposal and treatment options could cost another $200—$300 million.
The county expects approximately $22 million from settlements with manufacturers (named in the presentation as 3M, DuPont, Tao and BASF) to help fund design work; Garcia said the POS design is about $40 million and the settlement proceeds will supplement that cost. On disposal, Garcia said a new state rule (effective 2029) will limit the land application of Class B bio solids and likely require utilities to move to Class A treatment or alternative processing. The county and several municipal utilities are pursuing an interlocal design agreement; seven utilities have signed on to the design phase and three have not.
Garcia also detailed reuse planning and constraints: Pompano Beach received an exception to preserve service to its reclaim system while outfall changes proceed and the county is constructing a dedicated interconnect line; broader reuse rollout depends on neighboring jurisdictions and pending state rules. Staff emphasized the capital scale and said they are creating a rate stabilization approach to smooth customer impacts.
Commissioners asked for clarification about timing, participation by municipalities, cost apportionment, and options for handling bio solids ash after thermal processing; several members raised concerns about how unincorporated residents who buy treated water from other utilities will be affected by higher rates in those cities.
