Lake County advances decentralized wastewater pilot with new funding and amended OnSyte contract

Lake County advances decentralized wastewater pilot with new funding and amended OnSyte contractThe Florida county is expanding its septic-to-sewer transition program, securing additional grants and amending its contract with OnSyte Performance to address rising installation costs and long-term operational contingencies.

The Board of County Commissioners approved an amendment raising the installation price of Distributed Wastewater Treatment Systems (DWTS) from $15,800 to $17,322.

The county secured a new $1.5 million FDEP grant and a $1 million interlocal agreement with the Lake County Water Authority to subsidize the program.

To mitigate risks of contractor bankruptcy, the amended agreement requires the transfer of the DWTS software source code to the county.

Monthly operations and maintenance (O&M) fees for new DWTS applicants will increase to $50, subject to annual CPI adjustments.

Lake County, Florida, is scaling up its pilot program to replace traditional septic systems with individual Distributed Wastewater Treatment Systems (DWTS) to meet state water quality goals. On June 9, the Board of County Commissioners approved a first amendment to its contract with OnSyte Performance, LLC, alongside new funding agreements to support the rollout. The county is approaching its 100th DWTS installation, initially backed by a $1 million grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). To sustain the initiative, the board accepted a second FDEP grant of $1.5 million, slated for completion by December 2029. Additionally, commissioners approved a $1 million interlocal agreement with the Lake County Water Authority to further subsidize septic-to-sewer conversions in priority Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) areas. The amended contract with OnSyte addresses inflationary pressures and clarifies operational logistics. The base price for a DWTS installation will increase from $15,800 to $17,322, while drain field replacements will now be billed at cost plus 6%. Monthly operations and maintenance (O&M) fees will rise from $39.22 to $45.00 for existing applicants, and new applicants will pay $50.00 per month. The contract permits annual fee increases capped at the lesser of 4% or the Consumer Price Index. During the public comment period, a resident raised concerns regarding "extraordinary costs" being passed to consumers. County staff clarified that grant funding covers the core DWTS unit, but property owners remain responsible for site-specific expenses, such as necessary electrical upgrades or the relocation of existing irrigation and drainage lines. A crucial element of the amended contract addresses long-term utility management. Because the DWTS units rely on proprietary software for remote monitoring and operation, the amendment mandates the transfer of the software's source code to the county in the event of the contractor's bankruptcy or dissolution. This ensures the county can maintain regulatory compliance and uninterrupted wastewater treatment for the grant-funded units if the vendor ceases operations. Commissioner Sean Parks highlighted that the DWTS initiative serves as a critical pilot program for the state as Florida grapples with the environmental impacts of aging septic tanks. The systems are designed to provide advanced nutrient reduction, a key requirement for properties located near impaired waterbodies.