Fort Pierce OKs plans for FPUA to move wastewater plant off Indian River Lagoon
FORT PIERCE— In less than three months the Fort Pierce Utilities Authority is expected to break ground on a project envisioned for two decades: moving its aging wastewater treatment plant off Hutchinson Island.
The City Commission Monday unanimously approved plans to relocate the plant to 4515 Energy Lane, west of Selvitz Road and adjacent to the Treasure Coast Energy Center.
Cost of relocating the 63-year-old facility along the Indian River Lagoon may not be known until February, according to FPUA officials.
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FPUA customers, however, will contribute $3.5 million towards relocating the plant through 10% rate hikes that took effect in July and October.
Environmental concerns and economic-development opportunities have been two driving factors for local leaders to move the plant.
"This will be the second AquaNereda process facility in the United States," said Bo Hutchinson, FPUA director of water and wastewater systems. "The first one is in Foley, Alabama, that we visited. It's a much smaller plant than ours."
AquaNereda, according to Business and Industry Connection Magazine, is technology that provides advanced wastewater treatment that has proven to be energy- and cost efficient.
Construction of the 78,408-square-foot facility — which would include an administration and maintenance building, pump stations, aqua basins and storage tanks — is expected to be completed by December 2024.
The Hutchinson Island plant would be decommissioned by December 2026, when operations are fully transitioned to the Energy Lane plant, which covers 25 acres at Treasure Coast Business Park.
Olivia McKelvey is TCPalm's watchdog reporter for St. Lucie County. You can reach her at olivia.mckelvey@tcpalm.com, 772-521-4380 and on Twitter @olivia_mckelvey.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: FPUA one step closer to moving aging wastewater plant off Island
