PORT CHARLOTTE — Planned septic-to-sewer conversions in Charlotte County have slowed from initial goals, according to project managers.
However, both contracted designers and county staff are aiming to pick up the pace in keeping with the county's "One Charlotte, One Water" plan, particularly in Mid-County and West County.
Tom Friedrich and Chris Makransky from the Jones Edmunds firm gave a presentation on the county's Sewer Master Plan at a utilities workshop meeting for the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday.
Makransky noted that the 2017 plan originally called for 1,000 septic-to-sewer conversions on properties across the county every year. As of 2024, the rate has been closer to 300 per year.
"The goal of this update is to re-establish that plan, to improve water quality," he said during his presentation.
Approximately 2,680 homes have completed a septic-to-sewer conversion so far. Of that number, the most took place in the East/West Spring Lake area with 1,558.
Other notable development areas with completed conversions include El Jobean East with 278 homes converted, Charlotte Harbor with 202 homes, and Pirate Harbor with 202 homes.
Another 986 homes are currently in the construction phase of conversion, while another 2,665 homes are in the engineering phase.
The Charlotte County Commission recently adopted a Comprehensive Plan for its conversion program, as required by House Bill 1379 passed by the Florida State Legislature last year.
The plan establishes that Charlotte County Utilities must evaluate the feasibility of providing sewer access to certain properties within 10 years — in this case, existing or new developments with at least 50 lots and a septic density of more than one septic system per acre.
Makransky noted that the county has updated its priority list for conversions, with proximity to waterways being the highest priority, followed by the age of septic systems to be replaced and density of septic systems in an area.
Mapping for all three conditions, Jones Edmunds found that there was a concentration of older septic systems with greater density in Mid-County, the northern portion of West County, and the Rotonda Circle shoreline.
A greater concentration of septic systems in Mid-County was found to be located south of Murdock Circle and north of Midway Boulevard.
Makransky proposed that the county tackle the planned conversions through a series of five-year capital improvement projects for water quality, staggering out several years over a 15-year period.
County commissioners noted that they would be likely to focus staff's efforts to the Little Alligator C Basin in Mid-County, where Charlotte County has an existing Florida Department of Environmental Protection permit.
"We have to prioritize," Commissioner Joe Tiseo said after the presentation. "We just have limited funding."
Chairman Bill Truex and Vice Chair Christopher Constance largely agreed with Tiseo; they also noted that water quality testing would continue county-wide to see where efforts could be focused later.
"It's the reason we live here," Constance said.
Assistant County Administrator Claire Jubb also reported to the commissioners that a Reasonable Assurance Plan for the county's water and sewer plan was currently being developed by county staff, with a presentation scheduled for October.
The RAP is meant to provide data for the state, improving the county's odds of receiving water-related grants that could fund future conversions.
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