Project Update
The project design is complete and construction funding has been approved. We anticipate construction to begin in late spring/early summer of 2023 with construction to be completed in spring of 2024.
Project Area
The project limits of work are on Soundside Drive from West Shores Boulevard to oak Drive and Spruce Street. The work includes surveying and design work on private properties for residential homes as well as for infrastructure in the Santa Rosa County rights of way. Coordination of right of entry agreements And work within residential properties will be required.
Project Hotline
Phone: (850) 430-1700
Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/RESTORESOUNDSIDE/
Email: soundsidests@baskervilledonovan.com
The Santa Rosa Sound Water Quality Improvement Program will directly contribute to the restoration of water quality in Santa Rosa Sound by reducing loads of nutrients, bacteria, and heavy metals delivered to the sound. The overall program will result in the reduction of significant sources of nutrients, bacteria, and heavy metals leaching into the sound, which will have a positive impact on seagrass, fish, and shellfish populations, and recreational use of the sound and adjacent waters.
This project, which will expand the existing centralized sewer system on the Fairpoint Peninsula is funded by Santa Rosa County, the Gulf Consortium, and The RESTORE ACT. This project was paid for [in part] with federal funding from the Department of the Treasury under the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act). The Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners has made the restoration of Santa Rosa Sound a top priority, and the implementation of this project will contribute significantly to meeting this goal. These efforts are in line with many state and federal agency actions to reduce pollutant loads, improve surface water quality, and restore degraded habitats and living marine resources.
Significant work has been done to assess and characterize water quality in Santa Rosa Sound and to implement water quality improvement and protection programs. Also, the Santa Rosa Sound Water Quality Improvement Program is consistent with numerous coastal resource management plans. Recent applicable citations include the following:
- Lewis, M. J. et al., 2016. Environmental Quality of the Pensacola Bay System: A Retrospective Review for Future Resource Management and Rehabilitation. The United States Environmental Protection Agency.
- Northwest Florida Water Management District (NWFWMD), 2017. Pensacola Bay System Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Plan. The program components described above are considered to be feasible based on the available information and best professional judgment.
The City of Gulf Breeze, a subrecipient of Santa Rosa County for this project implementation, selected Baskerville-Donovan, Inc., a local engineering firm, for the design of the Soundside Drive Septic to Sewer Project. Their work includes surveying and design work on private properties as well as for infrastructure in the Santa Rosa County rights of way.
Representatives of Baskerville-Donovan will be on-site over the next month or two collecting data for the sewer system design. The representatives are easily identified by bright-colored clothing with the company logo on the back. Each property owner will receive a Temporary Construction Easement (TCE) that will need to be completed and returned to Baskerville-Donovan, Inc. The TCE will be provided to residents at a later date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Baskerville-Donovan, Inc. has extensive experience in Septic to Sewer projects and some questions are typical for projects of this nature. We have included some of the frequently asked questions below.
What is the purpose of the project?
To provide centralized sewer to the project area allowing for the elimination of on-site septic systems for water quality improvement of the Santa Rosa Sound.
What is the project location?
The project work is on Soundside Drive from West Shores Boulevard to Oak Drive and Spruce Street and includes approximately 163 residential properties.
Will property owners be required to connect to the sewer system?
Connection to the central sewer system is voluntary. All property owners are strongly encouraged to participate in the Santa Rosa Sound Water Quality Improvement Program but are not required to connect to the central sewer system.
Who is eligible to connect to the central sewer system?
All property owners within the project limits who sign a Temporary Construction Easement are eligible.
What will it cost to connect to the central sewer system?
The project is funded through Santa Rosa County and the Gulf Consortium using RESTORE Act funds. Residents who connect to the central sewer system during the project connection commitment period will not be charged a connection fee. After the project connection period, the resident will bear the cost of the connection.
Will there be any cost to the residents?
There will be no costs associated with the construction of the force main, the individual grinder pumps, or replacement of sod displaced during construction. Following the choice to connect to the central sewer system, residents will incur a monthly sewer service cost. The continuing monthly cost for each residential connection will be based on the wastewater generated as calculated from potable water use.
What if I don’t connect during the project connection commitment period?
Residents are not required to connect. If you decline connection and your septic system fails, you will be responsible for all cost associated with the mandatory connection to the central sewer, the cost of the grinder pump and the abatement of the on-site septic system.
What happens if a residence in the project area has both a ‘black water septic tank’ and a ‘grey water septic tank’?
The piping for both tanks will be routed to one grinder pump station and both septic tanks will be abandoned. If there are major site constraints, potential other methods will be considered.