Fort Pierce - Tuesday January 31, 2023: The Fort Pierce Utilities Authority is excited to announce the long-awaited groundbreaking of the new Mainland Sewer Treatment Plant, set to take place on Friday, February 3, 2023 at 2 pm at 4515 Energy Lane in Fort Pierce.
The groundbreaking and relocation represent a long-term, shared community commitment to growth and change in Fort Pierce and St. Lucie County.
“After nearly 20 years, and multiple attempts to relocate the plant, local leaders, policymakers, and community members have come together to make this shared dream a possibility,” said Bo Hutchinson, FPUA’s Director of Water/Wastewater Systems.
The groundbreaking doubles as an informative and educational experience, where community members can get a feel for their new and long-awaited sewer treatment plant. Attendees are invited to take a virtual, immersive walk through the future facility and get a clear picture of what the end design will be. Attendees can also tour the physical site, learning all about the different buildings and functional components of the sewer treatment plant.
Speakers at the groundbreaking event include: Congressman Brian Mast, Ft. Pierce Mayor Linda Hudson, Representative Dana Trabulsy, Senator Erin Grall, Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Board Member and St. Lucie County Commissioner for District 2 Chris Dzadovsky, and members of the FPUA board and leadership.
FPUA has contracted joint venture GlobalTech-Haskell to carry out the design, which is nearly complete, and construction, which will begin this month and end in approximately December 2024. The sewer system’s conveyance system will be redirected from eastward to westward flowing at the same time, with plans to operate both plants while the new plant is turned on in phases. The island plant is expected to be fully decommissioned in 2027.
This critical project removes the existing island sewer treatment plant from the shores of the Indian River Lagoon, and places the new treatment plant five miles west, far away from the lagoon and in an industrial area away from neighborhoods. The project will replace aging infrastructure with new technology, increase resilience, limit potential environmental impacts, and better serve the community.
The move will ensure that the vulnerable Indian River Lagoon is shielded from any potential catastrophe. The upgraded plant will be more energy-efficient and cost less to operate, saving our customers money. It will also reduce an average two million gallons per day of draw from Florida’s aquifers by instead utilizing reuse water from the sewer plant for the cooling towers.
The Mainland Sewer Treatment Plant is a testament to FPUA’s commitment to providing the highest quality services to our community. We are proud to be able to break ground on this project and look forward to its completion. We invite and encourage lawmakers, media, and members of the community to join us in celebrating this important milestone.
To learn more about this important relocation project, visit www.sustainablesewer.net.