TO: Indian River County Board of County Commissioners
THROUGH: John A. Titkanich, Jr., County Administrator
Sean C. Lieske, Director of Utility Service
FROM: Howard G. Richards, PE, Manager, Capital Projects
DATE: June 3, 2025
SUBJECT: Department of Utility Services Recommendations for a Mandatory Connection Policy for Water and Sewer Services
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BACKGROUND
Indian River County Department of Utility Services (IRCDUS) provides drinking water, wastewater, and reuse water services to major portions of the County including the City of Sebastian and the Town of Orchid. The remaining residents are serviced by private wells, onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems (OSTDS), the City of Vero Beach Utilities, and Fellsmere Utilities.
The water system, the largest in the County, comprises two (2) water treatment plants (WTPs) and over nine hundred (900) miles of distribution pipeline. The wastewater (sewer) system, with three (3) regional wastewater reclamation facilities (RWWRFs) and more than 484 miles of sanitary sewer collection mains, is also the largest system in the County. Overall water and sewer services comprise approximately 57,000 and 34,000 accounts respectively, serving a population of over 110,000 across an Urban Service Area (USA) of 96.44 square miles.
Indian River County (IRC) is experiencing significant growth, which is expected to continue while even accelerating during the foreseeable future. Along with other IRC Departments, IRCDUS is undertaking initiatives to ensure sustainable utility services in alignment with the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) Strategic Goals. One such initiative is the multi-year Septic-to-Sewer (S2S) Program, aimed at converting residential and commercial properties with OSTDSs to the County’s central sewer network.
ANALYSIS
Florida Regulations
Mandatory connection to centralized sewer is regulated by the State of Florida, section 3...
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