INDIAN RIVER COUNTY – The Clean Water Coalition of Indian River County and the Indian River Neighborhood Association are urging Roseland residents to participate in a septic to sewer conversion project.
The CWC and IRNA are also urging the state legislature and governor to pass legislation increasing funding for septic to sewer conversion.
According to a statement sent to Hometown News on behalf of both the CWC and IRNA, there are 300,000 septic tanks in the Indian River Lagoon watershed, with cities and counties competing for matching funds to reduce this source of nutrient pollution.
“Thanks to an offer by Indian River County commissioners which provides over $1,000,000 in incentives towards the project, plus a $500,000 grant from the state legislature, 75 properties between Roseland Road and the Sebastian River will be eligible for county water and sewer,” read the statement from Jean Catchpole, an advisor to the CWC board and chair of the IRNA Water & Lagoon Committee.
County Commissioners are expected to finalize the offer in November.
“Many of the septic systems in the area were installed before 1983 when less than a 24 inch separation was allowed between the drain field and the water table,” said the joint CWC/IRNA statement. “With heavy use, high density or wet conditions, the effluent may seep into groundwater and find its way to the river. Private drinking water wells may also be impacted by the septic system. The benefits of septic to sewer conversion are many, especially improved drinking water quality, increased property values and less nutrient pollution in the already impaired St. Sebastian River and Indian River Lagoon.”
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