Santa Rosa Sound Water Quality Improvement Program Public Participation
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State of Florida State Expenditure Plan Initial SEP Program RESTORE Act Compliance SANTA ROSA COUNTY Santa Rosa Sound Water Quality Improvement Program Public Participation PROJECT NO. 2-1 Project Description OVERVIEW AND LOCATION Financial Integrity The Santa Rosa Sound Water Quality Improvement Program comprises three components that 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 frst two components of the program will expand the existing centralized sewer system to allow for the abandonment Overall Consistency of 758 septic systems in two areas on the Fairpoint Peninsula. The third component involves the relocation of the effuent outfall from the Navarre Beach Wastewater Treatment Facility (NBWWTF) to eliminate the discharge of up to 900,000 gallons per day (gpd) of treated effuent into Santa Rosa Sound. This program will be implemented in southeastern Santa Rosa County (see Figure 2-1A). Proposed Projects NEED AND JUSTIFICATION Santa Rosa Sound is about 35 miles long, connecting the Pensacola Bay estuary to Choctawhatchee Bay. It is bordered along much of its northern edge by the Fairpoint Peninsula and is separated from the Gulf of Mexico by Figure 2-1A. Location of Santa Rosa Sound Water Quality Santa Rosa Island to the south. Santa Rosa Island is part Improvement Program components in Santa Rosa County. of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, and the associated Implementation waters of the sound are designated Outstanding Florida Waters. Santa Rosa Sound supports seagrass beds, which are important habitat and foraging areas for numerous fsh and invertebrate species, including many of commercial and recreational signifcance. The sound is currently listed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) as an impaired waterbody for bacteria under Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act. Although the sound is not listed as impaired for nutrients, a recent review of water quality data from a portion of Santa Rosa Sound shows that nutrient and chlorophyll-a concentrations exceed established regulatory threshold values. Recent declines in seagrass coverage have been documented in the sound and may be linked to these water quality issues. 51 SECTION V: Proposed Projects, Programs, and Activities Figure 2-1B. Soundside septic to sewer conversion area - Soundside B is the easternmost sections. This program will address two signifcant sources of pollutant loading to Santa Rosa Sound: (1) old and failing septic systems in coastal residential areas; and (2) effuent from the NBWWTF. Two areas on the Fairpoint Peninsula have been prioritized for expansion of an existing centralized sewer system and the abandonment of septic systems: Soundside Drive and Holley by the Sea (HBTS). NBWWTF was originally constructed in the early 1970s and has a capacity to treat 900,000 gpd of domestic wastewater, although actual fows range from 200,000 to 500,000 gpd depending on the season. Santa Rosa County has been working toward the goal of eliminating the discharge of NBWWTF’s effuent from the sound since the late 1990s. After assessing various alternative discharge options, the Board of County Commissioners approved a plan to eliminate the NBWWTF discharge into the sound by conveying the effuent to a land application disposal site located on Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) property. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES The purpose of this program is to reduce pollutant loadings to Santa Rosa Sound from known sources. The objectives of the program are to: (1) improve water quality in Santa Rosa Sound; and (2) restore marine habitats and living resources in the sound that may have been degraded by poor water quality. PROJECT COMPONENTS The Santa Rosa Sound Water Quality Improvement Program comprises three components, which are summarized below. Soundside Drive B Septic to Sewer The Soundside residential community does not currently have a centralized sewer system and uses septic systems for wastewater treatment and disposal. This proposed program component will expand Santa Rosa County’s existing sewer system into the Soundside B area (see Figure 2-1B) and allow for the conversion of approximately 163 septic systems to a low-pressure sewer system. The system design is in the beginning stages. Holley by the Sea Septic to Sewer The HBTS residential community currently has centralized sewer service in only some areas (see Figure 2-1C). The proposed program component includes expanding the existing sewer system, allowing for the abandonment of 595 existing septic systems. The program component is currently being studied to identify the most suitable sewer system for the area (low-pressure system or gravity system). 52 State of Florida State Expenditure Plan RESTORE Act Compliance NBWWTF Effuent Relocation and Reuse The effuent discharge of the NBWWTF will be permanently relocated from Santa Rosa Sound to a land application site located on 200 acres of Eglin AFB property. The Public Participation project will include construction of 35 2.5-acre, rapid-rate infltration basins (RIBs) for groundwater recharge; upgrades to NBWWTF so that the effuent meets FDEP requirements for public reuse; installation of new effuent flters and an effuent pump station; approximately 9 miles of Financial Integrity Figure 2-1C. HBTS subdivision septic to sewer conversion project area. force main ranging in diameter from 6 to 18 inches to convey the effuent from NBWWTF to the rapid-rate infltration basins site; and an intermediate pump station. In addition to discharging the effuent to a dedicated land application site, the project will include provisions for distributing reuse water to various residential and commercial customers in the area. It will also include provisions to accept treated effuent from the other utilities in the area. See Figure 2-1D for project features. Overall Consistency Proposed Projects Implementation Figure 2-1D. Santa Rosa regional reuse system program map. 53 SECTION V: Proposed Projects, Programs, and Activities Contributions to the Overall Economic and Ecological Recovery of the Gulf This program will improve water quality and the biological integrity of Santa Rosa Sound by allowing for the abandonment of 758 septic systems and eliminating the NBWWTF effuent discharge from the sound. These projects will result in the elimination of signifcant sources of nutrients, bacteria, and heavy metals to the sound, which will have a positive impact on seagrass, fsh and shellfsh populations, and recreational use of the sound and adjacent waters. 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. The Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners has made the restoration of Santa Rosa Sound a top priority, and the implementation of these program components will contribute signifcantly to meeting this goal. This program will also contribute to economic growth in Santa Rosa County, especially tourism and fshing industries. The sewer expansion will increase property values for the parcels it will ultimately serve, and sewer availability will encourage development on currently unimproved parcels in the area. This will, in turn, grow Santa Rosa County’s tax base. The proposed project will also increase workforce development and job creation in both the public and private sectors. Eligibility and Statutory Requirements This project is consistent with, and addresses, the following RESTORE Act eligible activity: • Eligible Activity 1: Restoration and protection of the natural resources, ecosystems, fsheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, and coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast region. Comprehensive Plan Goals and Objectives This project is consistent with, and addresses, the following Comprehensive Plan Goals: • Goal 2: Restore Water Quality and Quantity (primary) • Goal 1: Restore and Conserve Habitat • Goal 3: Replenish and Protect Living Coastal and Marine Resources. This project is consistent with, and addresses, the following Comprehensive Plan Objectives: • Objective 2: Restore, Improve, and Protect Water Resources (primary) • Objective 1: Restore, Enhance, and Protect Habitats • Objective 3: Protect and Restore Living Coastal and Marine Resources. Implementing Entities Santa Rosa County will be the sole implementing entity and grant sub-recipient responsible for the design, permitting, construction, operation and maintenance, and monitoring of this project. Santa Rosa County has coordinated with numerous agencies, including Holley Navarre Water System (HNWS), South Santa Rosa Utility (SSRU), and Eglin AFB, in the development of these wastewater projects and may collaborate with other entities in the implementation of the project through leveraging of other potential funds. 54 State of Florida State Expenditure Plan RESTORE Act Compliance Best Available Science and Feasibility Assessment Signifcant work has been done to assess and characterize water quality in Santa Rosa Sound and to implement water quality improvement and protection programs. In addition, 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 Public Participation Future Resource Management and Rehabilitation.