DeBary, Volusia County outline $35M Phase 1 and multi‑phase strategy to meet Gemini Springs BMAP; council urged to push for grants to limit homeowner costs

DeBary — City and county officials told the DeBary City Council on June 17 that meeting updated Gemini Springs BMAP nutrient‑reduction milestones will require a multi‑phase program of sewer expansion and targeted septic upgrades, with substantial funding needs and policy choices ahead.

City Manager (Mr. Rosemond) opened the discussion by framing the issue as a state mandate rooted in the 2016 Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act and updated by subsequent rulemaking and the 2023 House Bill 1379. He said the 2025 BMAP update reassigned a higher share of nitrogen loading to on‑site septic systems—"63% coming from septic," the presentation said—raising urgency for conversions or upgraded on‑lot systems in primary focus areas.

Mike Allred, director of Volusia County Utilities, described the county’s nearly completed $70 million upgrade to the Southwest regional wastewater treatment plant to provide advanced treatment capacity and said supporting work (lift‑station upgrades, force mains) and hydraulic modeling remain essential to convey flows from priority neighborhoods.

Consultant teams from Jones Edmunds and CHA summarized the master plan and alternatives. They evaluated gravity, low‑pressure and vacuum systems for three priority project areas (Lake Maria Estates, Plantation Estates and the Vistas). For topographic and cost reasons, the team recommended Lake Maria Estates as the first phase and identified vacuum/pressure systems as the preferred collection alternative there. Preliminary capital estimates cited gravity collection for that area at about $50 million and vacuum/low‑pressure options in the mid‑$30 million range; a total multi‑phase project was characterized as likely approaching $100 million.

Cost to homeowners was a central issue: staff said Phase 1 includes roughly 700 homes with estimated hookup costs of about $5,000–$7,000 per home if the jurisdiction secures construction funding; by contrast, enhanced nutrient‑removing on‑site systems (ENRs) were described as costing roughly $17,000–$20,000 per household plus $600–$700 a year in maintenance if homeowners must replace septic systems without a sewer hookup. Staff said DEP offered a limited compromise: properties in a completed Phase 1 could be exempted from the ENR mandate, but DEP has not extended exemptions to phases 2 and 3 unless design progress and funding justify it.

Council members repeatedly pressed staff on timelines and equity: when the compliance 'clock' runs out (presenters said the BMAP timeline extends into 2038 in the current schedule), how enforcement would apply if funding is unavailable, and whether hookup grants could be limited to homesteads. Staff and consultants urged a two‑pronged funding approach: (1) make Phase 1 shovel‑ready to attract construction grants and (2) pursue a mix of Springs Restoration grants, SWAG on‑lot funding, water management district funds, USDA and FEMA programs, ARPA or legislative appropriations to cover hookups so residents would pay little or nothing out of pocket.

Council signaled support for the staff recommendation to pursue Phase 1 design and aggressive grant seeking for construction and hookup assistance, and for pursuing engineering for later phases simultaneously to strengthen requests for exemptions. No formal policy vote was taken; staff will continue grant outreach and planning.

Key claims and figures from the briefing: "ENR systems: $17,000–$20,000 per household; $600–$700 maintenance per year"; "Phase 1 construction cost ~ $35M; roughly 700 homes; $5,000–$7,000 hookup per household if funded"; "state mandate with BMAP timeline through 2038." These figures were presented by city/county staff and the consultant team during the briefing.

Why it matters: The updated BMAP and state septic regulations shift both technical work and financial burden questions to local governments. The choices DeBary and Volusia County make about phasing, grant strategy and whether hookup costs will be subsidized will determine who bears the cost and whether the city meets nutrient‑reduction milestones without exposing homeowners to large out‑of‑pocket costs or regulatory enforcement.