INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Some Indian River County homeowners may soon need to replace their septic systems with connections to the county’s sewer system, as the county works to expand sewer infrastructure and comply with state requirements.
Sean Lieske, the county’s director of utility services, said the county is working on several projects to expand sewer access. The workshops planned for September will focus on homeowners who already have access to an existing sewer line but have not yet connected.
"We are in the process of completing several projects to basically bring sewer where sewer is not available as much as we possibly can throughout the county. And then some of the workshops that we're going to be having in September are associated with residents that currently abut or are near an existing sewer line and have the ability to connect today without any additional infrastructure needs," he said.
The workshops begin Sept. 3 and will give residents an opportunity to ask questions about the conversion process, including timelines, homeowner responsibilities and costs.
The price of connecting can differ significantly depending on the type of sewer system serving a property. Lieske said gravity sewer connections generally cost less than low-pressure systems, which require a pump at the home.
"That cost can vary substantially depending upon whether or not we are installing gravity sewer or in what we call a low-pressure system. And in gravity sewer, that cost can be anywhere maybe between $7,000 to $10,000 to $15,000. If there's a low-pressure system, it requires the home to have a pump," he said. "And when they have to have a pump on their house, that requires electricity, requires a lot more infrastructure, and that cost can be anywhere between $15,000 to $25,000."
Because of those costs, the county is also implementing an assistance program for homeowners who have sewer access but may not be able to afford the connection.
"We're rolling that out to actually homeowners today who have the ability to connect. And so if they have the ability to connect today, in other words, there's a sewer line existing and they could connect and they just haven't, we are rolling out this program to provide assistance to homeowners who otherwise may not be able to afford that cost," he said.
Homeowners who are already eligible to connect will receive a notice from the county. The notice will start a one-year period for the property owner to make the connection.
"Once we've determined truly that a home could connect, we will be sending a letter to them saying, you know, sewer is available and you have 365 days from the time we submit that letter to connect. We are required to submit a list to the Department of Environmental Protection, which is the state agency responsible for overseeing the legislation of those properties that currently could connect that have not connected," he said.
The effort is part of a broader state initiative aimed at reducing reliance on septic systems, with public health and environmental concerns among the reasons for the push.
Lieske said septic systems can eventually reach the end of their useful lives, potentially creating problems when their drainage fields can no longer adequately handle wastewater.
"Failing septic systems is a major public health concern. Certainly, I'm not insinuating that all septic systems are failing. Septic systems have a life expectancy and at the end of that time, the leach field can kind of get overwhelmed," he said.
The county also sees sewer connections as a way to reduce nutrient pollution reaching the Indian River Lagoon.
"An overabundance of those creates problems in the health of the lagoon. And so by connecting these septic systems and eliminating that source of nutrients allows those homes to be treated by our central system. And our centralized treatment systems are very efficient at removing those nutrients from the waste stream. And that ultimately helps in protecting the lagoon," he said.
Not every homeowner in the county will be required to make the transition. Sewer infrastructure is not currently available in many areas, and county officials say funding will limit how far additional projects can extend.
"However, there are only a handful of areas where that is currently available. So there are going to be a large number of residents where sewer is not available and will not be available," he said.
Lieske said the county is currently working with grant funding for projects expected to continue through 2030, while officials are pursuing another potential grant.
"Kind of the looming deadline is July of 2030. We anticipate completing the projects that we have grants fund for currently. I think we may be applying for one more. There's another grant opportunity that's coming out. It's actually out now. We are applying for one more project to see if we can get funding for that. I would anticipate those projects running us through 2030. So if that date continues to hold steadfast, I really can't anticipate us doing any more than what we've already got funding for."
Residents who cannot attend one of the September workshops will be able to find the information online, Lieske said.