Sarasota County approves utility extensions to Palmer Ranch, future developments

SARASOTA COUNTY — Sarasota County commissioners have approved a massive reclaimed water project designed to bring services to future development and golf courses south of State Road 681. 

The $3.5 million joint effort with the Southwest Florida Water Management District entails extending reclaimed services to Palmer Ranch, Calusa Lakes Development, Calusa Lakes Golf Course and Mission Valley Golf & Country Club. 

This was just one major utility project approved by the commission on Tuesday. Others included an effort to lay the groundwork for major upgrades to two of the county’s three reclaimed water treatment facilities and addressing aging infrastructure issues in Sarasota and Venice. 

The utility overhauls were unanimously approved without comment. Commissioner Nancy Detert was absent. 

Mike Mylett, the county’s utility director, said in an email that the line is being extended in advance of the construction of new and future communities that are anticipated to be high-volume customers. 

Sarasota County regulations require developments to connect and use reclaimed water when an active line is available or when a new reclaimed water line is installed, Mylett said. 

"This 17,500-feet section of reclaimed transmission mains does not have any direct developer contributions," Mylett said. "When developments connect to this line they will have reclaimed water use meters installed and will be billed for usage to recover costs."

The extension will supply services to about 1,066 homes within the Palmer Ranch subdivision.

The water management district's board approved funding for the extension project in July. The county will be reimbursed up to $500,000 and has indicated that more reimbursements are pending. In all, the county anticipates that they will be reimbursed about $1.5 million for the project. 

Here's a bigger picture:Over $500M in utility improvements are coming to Sarasota County

Sarasota County’s north master reuse system provides up to 6 million gallons a day to golf courses and other centralized irrigation systems at developments throughout the northern part of the county. 

Future planned development extending south of State Road 72 toward the Osprey, Nokomis and Venice corridor brings with it an increase in central sewer service connections and opportunities for more recycled waste water use. 

The project's first phase, which should take about two years to complete, involves the construction of a reclaimed main from north of Oscar Scherer State Park along Honore Avenue to just south of State Road 681. Subsequent phases include extending additional reclaimed lines along Honore and extensions to the future reclaimed customers. 

A utility agreement with Talon Preserve on Palmer Ranch will be required to address oversizing a portion of the reclaimed line that is required to be built along Honore south of 681. 

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In addition, the county’s utility department will be working with the golf courses and the existing developments in the area to extend reclaimed service (which will require additional funding) once the scope and timing of the project are developed. 

The supply of 533,265 gallons of reclaimed water for irrigation to the new portions of Sarasota County’s reclaimed service area will offset the need for irrigation water to be withdrawn from a higher-value resource, the county said. 

This project was identified in 2013, which named Palmer Ranch, Calusa Lakes, and Mission Valley as having the potential for using up to 1.5 million gallons of reclaimed water if these areas are eventually connected to the system in the future.

Here’s a glimpse of other projects approved by the board on Tuesday. 

Central County and Venice Gardens conversion 

The Bee Ridge Water Treatment facility, the county’s largest wastewater plant, is undergoing major upgrades in the coming years. One of those upgrades will be to convert equipment to conform with advanced wastewater treatment standards, which is expected to greatly reduce nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus that can promote harmful algae blooms. 

Beginning this month, the county will begin the process of converting Sarasota’s remaining treatment plants — Central County and Venice Gardens — to higher wastewater treatment standards. 

On Tuesday, the county approved a $274,450 contract with Atkins North America, Inc., to conduct the conversion evaluations at both facilities. The evaluation includes an overview of treatment technologies, construction and operational cost and potential conversion impacts. 

Atkins is expected to begin its work this month. The report is expected to be completed by May 31. 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way force main project

One of the county’s two force mains along Martin Luther King Jr. Way has broken eight times in the past six years, resulting in significant wastewater spills. 

Investigation:Sewer crisis in the state of Florida

The county will pay Carollo Engineers, Inc., $285,616 to address the problem, raising its initial contract agreement from $104,938. 

The county has two parallel force mains that run along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way from the 27th Street lift station to North Tuttle Avenue. A third segment of the force main turns southward on the east side of Tuttle Avenue to the Florida Power & Light Company easement. 

The county will address the issue in two phases. The first phase will include the redesign of all three force mains within the project boundaries. Design work will begin this month and be completed in June. 

Porpoise Road and Horizon Road project 

The county approved a $283,184 contract with Shenandoah General Construction LLC to rehabilitate the stormwater pipeline between Porpoise Road and Horizon Road in Venice. The project will begin early this year. It’s expected to be completed early this summer. 

Addressing aging infrastructure is a huge problem in Sarasota and across the state. Aging stormwater systems increase the potential for flooding. 

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The county’s stormwater system, which continues to be expanded due to the increase in impervious surfaces and population growth, includes more than 250 miles of stormwater infrastructure. 

The conveyance system is in varying needs of rehabilitation and repair, which can mostly be accomplished via lining the inside of the pipe. 

Other action 

County commissioners approved a funding agreement with the water management district for a $300,000 groundwater nutrient evaluation project to assess groundwater quality impacts associated with multiple land uses and to identify best practices to limit pollution. 

The goal is to reduce nutrient loading from groundwater that fuels algal blooms. 

The county’s approach will include monitoring groundwater water quality in key locations associated with specific land use types presumed to cause high nutrient concentrations. Those include septic systems, reclaimed water usage areas, high fertilizer use areas and former landfills. 

The consultant will determine the concentration of nutrients as well as groundwater seepage rates to better estimate the contribution of nitrogen from groundwater entering the estuary and to identify nutrient hotspots for future implementation.