Apopka secures seventh extension for long-delayed Golden Gem reclaimed water project

Apopka secures seventh extension for long-delayed Golden Gem reclaimed water projectThe city now has until March 2027 to finalize designs, construct a new $12.5 million pump station, and reconstruct pond liners following a structural failure in early 2024.

The City Commission unanimously approved a seventh amendment to its Memorandum of Agreement with the St. Johns River Water Management District, extending the project deadline to March 31, 2027.

The reclaimed water storage and aquifer recharge enhancement project will feature a new $12.5 million pump station funded through capital impact fees.

Reconstruction of the site's pond liners, necessitated by a January 2024 collapse, is estimated to cost between $2.5 million and $3 million.

Construction on the pump station is scheduled to begin in September 2026, with the West Pond reconstruction slated for completion by February 2027.

On May 20, the Apopka City Commission unanimously approved a seventh amendment to a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD), granting the city until March 31, 2027, to complete the Golden Gem Road reclaimed water storage and aquifer recharge project. The 102.75-acre property was originally conveyed to the city by the SJRWMD in May 2009, strictly conditioned upon Apopka designing, permitting, and constructing the reclaimed water facility. The project has faced significant setbacks, necessitating six prior deadline extensions between 2014 and 2025. The catalyst for the latest delay and current reconstruction efforts stems from an event in early January 2024 in which a pond liner collapsed. Public Works Director Vladimir Simonovski noted that repairing the damage—specifically replacing the liner at the West and East ponds and regrading the site—is estimated to cost between $2.5 million and $3 million. The city has $2 million carried forward from the previous budget cycle in its operating fund for this specific purpose. In addition to the liner replacement, the city is advancing a new pump station for the facility, which was not part of the original conditions but is now required to make the site fully operational. Simonovski stated the pump station carries an estimated cost of $12.5 million, which is budgeted through capital impact fees in the Capital Improvement Program. The city has already spent approximately $1 million on ongoing redesign and technical evaluation efforts. According to the updated project schedule, final construction plans for the West Pond and initiation of the East Pond design are expected by August 28, 2026. Construction of the pump station is scheduled to commence on September 1, 2026, with the West Pond reconstruction targeted for completion by February 28, 2027. During public comment, residents raised concerns regarding the site's geology, pointing to soil saturation, lack of interceptor trench drainage, and the area's karst topography as contributing factors to the 2024 liner failure. Mayor Nick Nestor acknowledged the tight time constraints imposed by the SJRWMD but expressed confidence in city staff and third-party consultants to meet the new deadlines, emphasizing the regional importance of the water resource project.