We have been highlighting concerns every week for several months now. We will continue to discuss wastewater concerns and ideas until there are none left to highlight! Or when we just give up.

Click here to see the list of concerns we’ve highlighted over the last several months, including concerns about huge budget deficits and major raw sewage leaks.

In 1999 the State of Florida mandated that the entire Florida Keys install advanced wastewater treatment systems to eliminate the use of septic tanks, illegal cesspits, and ineffective small treatment units. The cost in Islamorada to create a central sewer system was enormous.  And now the cost of maintenance and operation of this costly project is creating significant questions and concerns.

This Week - Good News:Finally the Village and Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District seem to be back on speaking terms.  

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is tired of waiting for a fix for the raw sewage leaks in the pipe taking Village effluent for treatment in Key Largo.

And so major efforts are now underway to “do something.”  And to figure out how to pay for what appears to be delayed maintenance concerns.

The Village hired Peter Rosasco as a consultant to help. The Village Council approved a new wastewater rate study with Raftelis Financial Consultants to look at possible refinancing of wastewater debt and to study EDU counts to assure appropriate distribution of costs.  

Progress may be around the corner but be prepared if you are a property owner, residential or commercial, hooked up to the Village sewer system!  It is the users of the central sewer system in Islamorada that will be on the hook for what could be extreme costs to get us back on track. Cost estimates to make the fixes are extreme. Hopefully with the new rate study the costs will be fairly distributed.