Leon County Begins Work on Multi-Million Dollar Projects to Improve Water Quality

Leon County Begins Work on Multi-Million Dollar 

Projects to Improve Water Quality

This month, Leon County begins construction on the first of five septic-to-sewer projects in southside Leon County located in the Primary Springs Protection Zone to improve water quality for citizens. Matching nearly $9 million in grant funds from the State of Florida with another $9 million in local funds, Leon County will convert septic tanks to central sewer, removing nutrients from the groundwater and protecting precious natural resources. 

“Converting septic tanks to sewer within the Primary Springs Protection Zone is critically important to protecting our water bodies, which is a top priority of Leon County,” said Leon County Commission Chairman Nick Maddox. 

Starting now, funds will pay for the design and construction of the central sewer lines, in addition to the costs of the home connections and septic tank removals for up to 200 homes in the Woodside Heights neighborhood, located at the intersection of Woodville Highway and Capital Circle SE.

In addition to the construction in the Woodside Heights neighborhood, later this year Leon County will expand septic-to-sewer projects to the following neighborhoods also located in the Primary Springs Protection Zone: Annawood, Belair, and Northeast Lake Munson. These three septic-to-sewer projects would eliminate up to 380 additional septic tanks and improve water quality, bringing the total to nearly 600 potential septic tank eliminations in the Primary Springs Protection Zone.

“Working collaboratively with the State, the County is aggressively retrofitting neighborhoods on septic to the benefit of our precious natural resources and leveraging dollars to make central sewer affordable for citizens to connect,” said Leon County Administrator Vincent S. Long.

Central sewer design for the Woodville Rural Community begins now, and due to a first-of-its kind agreement between Leon County and the State of Florida, tentative future funding could lead to the elimination of more than 1,200 additional septic tanks in the Primary Springs Protection Zone. Contingent upon the Legislature's annual funding of the Springs Restoration Program, the agreement could provide an additional $20.4 million through 2024 in wastewater projects in Leon County.

Since 2014, Leon County has leveraged funding from both the Northwest Florida Water Management District and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to maximize its investment in replacing septic tanks and improving water quality.

To find more information on the Primary Springs Protection Zone projects and to check if your address is eligible for a grant-funded septic-to-sewer project, visit: www.LeonCountyFL.gov/PrimarySprings . Please note, only certain addresses located in the Primary Springs Protection Zone are eligible.

For more information, contact Tony Park, P.E. Director of Public Works, at (850) 606-1500 / ParkT@LeonCountyFL.gov or Mathieu Cavell, Community and Media Relations, at (850) 606-5300 / cmr@LeonCountyFL.gov .

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