City behind on promised St. John's River cleanup

[m74reeves]

Price going up for Jacksonville's part of river cleanup, still not enough

By Steve Patterson

Jacksonville is budgeting millions more than it once had to retire leaking septic tanks and cut algae-causing pollution in the St. Johns River. But the real cost will be far higher than budgets reflect on work that could take a decade — or more — to finish.

"The numbers we have seen are close to $300 million," said John Pappas, an administrator in the city's Public Works Department. "It is a huge value to get where we really need to be."

The work is part of a complex project to help the St. Johns that Jacksonville and other governments around the region committed to in 2008.

The work is designed to cut nitrogen levels that feed algae blooms, which can choke underwater grasses and deplete oxygen that fish and other creatures in the river need. Waste that seeps from leaking septic tanks into drainage ditches or creeks is a big source of nitrogen in the river.

A capital-projects budget that Mayor Alvin Brown sent to the City Council last month projects that the city will spend $14 million by 2018 to phase out septic tanks in some areas near waterways. Combined with money the city has already spent on that effort, the budget estimates a total cost of about $22.4 million. The budget plans spending for five years for high-dollar projects that have lasting value.

Read more at Jacksonville.com:
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2013-08-03/story/price-going-jacksonvilles-part-river-cleanup-still-not-enough

Oops.

Can anyone speak to how many septic tanks we're discussing? Are these mostly business or single family or both? Is the sewer infrastructure not there for people to connect?

[Charles Hunter]

When the City spent millions rebuilding Fort Caroline Road - which is lined with homes without septic tanks - they put in water lines, but no sewage collection lines.  Brilliant.

[m74reeves]

wha?

[DDC]

When the City spent millions rebuilding Fort Caroline Road - which is lined with homes without septic tanks - they put in water lines, but no sewage collection lines.  Brilliant.

Where on Fort Caroline would this be?

[m74reeves]

so, if you are connected to sewer, then JEA partially cleans the waste and dumps it into the river?

[Charles Hunter]

The last stretch they did a few years ago, from just east of Townsend to Merrill.  I think a couple of the newer subdivisions have sewer service, but most of that stretch is on septic tanks and water wells.  The City provided  a way to replace the well - even putting stub outs to meter boxes (empty now) to each property.  But no provision for sewer.