City of Carrabelle's Lighthouse Estates: Septic Tank Abatement - Phase II
Implementing Organization
State of Florida
Overview
DWH Project Funding
$3,237,986
Known Leveraged Funding
$0
Funding Organization
Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees (NRDA)
Funding Program
Natural Resource Damage Assessment NRDA
Details
Project Category
Environmental
Project Actions
Water Quality Restoration and Maintenance
Targeted Resources
Wetlands/Marshes/Estuaries
Project Description
The project will improve water quality in Apalachicola Bay and St. George Sound by connecting homes near the bay currently served by septic systems to a central wastewater treatment system. Specifically, the project includes: • Connection of an additional 110 septic systems to the City of Carrabelle’s wastewater treatment plant in addition to the 53 connections funded by the Northwest Florida Water Management District (NWFWMD); • Limiting the installation of additional septic systems within the Lighthouse Estates area; • Comparing three years of pre-construction water quality monitoring to three years of post-construction water quality monitoring (i.e., Enterococci species). The project will directly improve water quality in watersheds injured by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill by reducing the discharge pollutant loading that otherwise would impact the health and quality of estuarine habitats in receiving waters. The project will also help to reduce the potential for beach closures, restrictions on shellfish harvesting, and human health impacts from microbial pathogens. Additionally, nitrogen loading to Apalachicola Bay from the Lighthouse Estates area will be reduced by approximately 3,000 pounds per year due to the significantly improved water quality treatment achieved by the city’s wastewater plant as compared with that provided by the individual septic systems.
Contact
Pearce Barrett(850) 245-2106
pearce.barrett@floridadep.gov
Project Website
None
For official trustee information regarding the Deepwater Horizon NRDA, including information regarding the NRDA process and the status of projects, see https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/