FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 6, 2016
DEP AWARDS MORE THAN $9 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR STORMWATER IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
~State funding helps communities reduce their stormwater impacts~
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has awarded more than $9 million in matching grants and low-interest loans for recent stormwater projects in four communities throughout the state to help protect the health of local water bodies. The state's Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) awarded $9 million in low-interest loans, and the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Water-Quality Restoration Grant awarded nearly $800,000 in matching grants. These funding programs provide assistance to Florida communities to reduce stormwater nutrient loads, continue stormwater treatment improvements and restore important wetlands.
"We are pleased we can offer multiple funding sources for stormwater projects that enable communities throughout the state to help restore and protect water bodies," says Trina Vielhauer, director of the Division of Water Restoration Assistance. "This funding enables local governments to be proactive in managing their area's stormwater runoff."
Stormwater runoff is generated when rain flows over land or impervious surfaces and does not seep into the ground. As the runoff flows over paved streets, parking lots and building rooftops, it accumulates debris, chemicals, sediment or other pollutants that could adversely affect water quality if the discharged runoff is left untreated and runs into nearby surface waters. Several examples of recent communities that were awarded state funding for stormwater projects include:
Ocala: Awarded $706,321 in a matching TMDL grant in November 2015 to provide nutrient reduction to the Silver River by establishing a stormwater management system for stormwater storage and water-quality treatment through the implementation of several best management practices. The project includes the construction of two stormwater management ponds, 24-inch force main, triplex stormwater pump station, and replacement of storm drainage piping and structures on State Road 40.
Sanford: Awarded a $4.6 million increase in December 2015 to an existing low-interest CWSRF loan, for a total loan amount of $7.1 million, to fund the final phase of the Cloud Branch stormwater improvements. Replacing existing culverts will alleviate localized flooding and improve discharge water quality by removing floating debris and excess nutrients, which will benefit the St. Johns River.
Stuart: Awarded $90,000 in a matching TMDL grant in December 2015 to re-grade 6 acres of exotic-cleared area, create berms and flow stabilizers, and restore the eastern third of Heart of Haney Creek to native wetlands. Waters from the 395-acre Eastern Haney Creek watershed will be directed through the restored wetlands before discharging into tidal Haney Creek. The restored wetlands will replace the open ditch that currently conveys stormwater directly to the tide, and will be incorporated into the existing Haney Creek trails system via a public access trail. The trail will have educational materials about state and local projects to improve water quality in
the St. Lucie Estuary.
Tavares: Awarded a $1.6 million increase in March 2016 to an existing low-interest CWSRF loan, for a total loan amount of $1.9 million, to fund construction of downtown area stormwater treatment improvements. An existing wetland area will be converted into a stormwater pond, which will slow stormwater runoff and provide treatment before discharging into Lake Dora, designated a Florida Impaired Water by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. An 8-acre walkable park will have wooden bridges linking ponds containing floating flower mats to attract bees and help remove pollutants from the water.
The Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program (CWSRF) has
awarded approximately $1.1 billion in funding for about 120 wastewater and stormwater improvement
projects during the past five years for a total of $4 billion in loan funds
since its inception in 1989. The program is funded by federal grants,
state matching funds, loan repayments and interest earnings. For more
information, visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/waterprojectfunding/.
Since 2002, the department has awarded more than $110 million in TMDL grants, including $4.6 million awarded in fiscal year 2014-15 and $4.1 million awarded in fiscal year 2015-16 to date. For more information, visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/waterprojectfunding/.
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