A Collier County Commissioner wants the county to take over water and sewer utilities for Golden Gate residents. District 3 Commissioner Burt Saunders believes customers of the Florida Governmental Utility Authority are paying too much for water and sewer service in Golden Gate.
"30 to 50 percent higher than the county's rates, and some of the highest in the state," said District 3 Commissioner Burt Saunders.
He said the board of commissioners are expected to approve an interlocal agreement with FGUA at their meeting Tuesday, which would also allow people who currently have wells and private septic systems to hook up to the county's system.
"You do have the potential for a failing septic tank to impact a resident's well, or impact other wells," Saunders said.
He's concerned that many of those septic tanks are already leaking and polluting Golden Gate canals, which connect to Naples Bay.
But he doesn't expect everyone who owns their own system to want to pay a county water and sewer bill, even if it would be lower than FGUA's rates.
"But if one takes a look at what it costs to, for example, repair or replace a water system, or repair and replace a septic system, the cost of installation really becomes pretty minor," Saunders said.
