PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — Expansion efforts are on the way for the waste water treatment plant in Charlotte County but residents worry they will not be done soon enough.
Concerned citizens tell Fox 4 community corespondent Stephen Pimpo the expansion efforts for the Charlotte County waste water treatment plant are too little too late:
On March 25th, Charlotte County Commissioners voted to start plans on expanding the Burnt Store Water Reclamation Facility. But residents like John Fleming said this should’ve happened sooner.
“The Charlotte County Commissioners have known for over a year that our wastewater facility was dangerously close to capacity,” Fleming said.
Fleming, who is the chairman of the Burnt Store Corridor Coalition, believes the recent vote by county commissioners to hire construction (Jon F. Swift Inc.) and project (2nd Archer Western Construction LLC) managers is too late and could end up costing the public.
“The developers haven't paid their proper share (of impact fees) into this,” Fleming said. “Today's residents are going to wind up subsidizing the developers, and everyone in Charlotte County is going to suffer.”
The county says the project will cost around $20 million and take at least 18 months.
“This expansion is going to be born by current rate payers,” County Commissioner Christopher Constance asked Charlotte County Utilities Director Dave Watson during his presentation of the plan.
“Yes, because this expansion would be technically done in advance of the new connections coming on,” Watson answered.
Phillip Smallwood, who spent close to five years working in water treatment, said the now 250,000 gallon-a-day facility is already struggling.
“In the middle of February it was running 338,000 to 348,000 (gallons-a-day) which is as far as I'm concerned, is over capacity at that time,” he said.
Which would put it close to 100,000 thousands gallons over at that point.
Smallwood and others are calling for a halt on all building permits in the Burnt Store Corridor until a new treatment plant is built.
County Commissioner Joe Tiseo said the expansion should not impact service to existing customers.
“In our utility agreements, the developers understand that the capacity is not guaranteed unless you pay for it. And if you pay for it, that means we have it to offer,” he said.
With 1,800 new homes expected to be built in the area within a year, Smallwood says time is running out.
“Even with the 500,000-gallon capacity in 12 months, we will obviously be at the 500,000 gallon limit,” he said.
