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INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA <br />DEPARTMENT OF UTILITY SERVICES <br />Date: February 29, 2016 <br />To: Joseph A. Baird, County Administrator <br />From: Vincent Burke, P.E., Director of Utility Services <br />Prepared By: Arjuna Weragoda, P.E., Capital Projects Manager AGJ <br />Subject: Septic to Sewer Update/Presentation <br />DESCRIPTIONS AND CONDITIONS: <br />In November 2013, the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) approved two (2) septic to sewer <br />feasibility studies. The two studies targeted different geographical areas in unincorporated Indian <br />River County. The study labeled "Summerplace" is located on the north side of SR -510 between the <br />Atlantic Ocean and Indian River Lagoon. The second area, labeled "North Sebastian Area", is generally <br />described as having a western limit of US Highway 1, an eastern limit of the Indian River Lagoon, a <br />northern Limit of Indian River Drive connection to US Highway 1, and the southern Limit as Main <br />Street. During the same time, many researchers were also studying the effects of Onsite Sewage <br />Treatment and Disposal Systems' (OSTDS-aka Septic Tanks) nutrient loadings as a potential <br />contributor of harmful algal blooms in the Indian River Lagoon. Some of these studies have confirmed <br />that high levels of Aqueous 15 Nitrogen (6" N) in groundwater and surface water are a result of <br />human waste. <br />The primary goal of this update is to inform the BCC and the public of some of the work the Indian <br />River County Department of Utility Services (IRCDUS) staff has undertaken with the collaboration of <br />the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and Florida State University (FSU). <br />ANALYSIS: <br />The capital cost of converting septic tanks to centralized sewer is an expensive undertaking as <br />shown in the two feasibility studies. Therefore, IRCDUS staff decided to evaluate a ranking <br />mechanism based on several criteria. IRCDUS staff has been working on a ranking system based on <br />a numerical method for residential subdivisions that are currently on septic. The Capital Projects <br />Division was tasked with developing a framework that would produce a methodology ranking the <br />subdivisions currently on septic tanks identified in our Geographic Information System (GIS). <br />Other Analysis & Studies <br />IRCDUS staff have explored reports prepared by other jurisdictions, presentations and research <br />papers. Staff researched the following reports, studies and models in evaluating certain criteria for <br />IRCDUS's methodology: <br />➢ Department of Health, Volusia County — Report on the status of sewage disposal and <br />conditions in Volusia County, Dated November, 2013 (Volusia) <br />76 <br />