Orange County advances $139m Wekiva Springs septic-to-sewer transition with $5.6m Phase 5A award

Orange County advances $139m Wekiva Springs septic-to-sewer transition with $5.6m Phase 5A awardThe Board of County Commissioners has approved the latest construction phase of a massive septic tank retrofit program designed to cut nitrogen loading into the Wekiva Springs basin by nearly 20,000 pounds annually.

R.P. Utility and Excavation Corp secured a $5.6 million contract to connect 57 homes in the Carol Woods and Wekiva Ridge subdivisions to central sewer.

The overall $139 million program is backed by $76 million in grants and $14 million in local Municipal Service Benefit Unit cost-share funds.

To date, the county has eliminated 577 septic systems, with 400 more under construction and over 1,000 in design or scheduling.

The board also approved a $1 million contract with Halff Associates for a real-time flood forecasting model covering eight watersheds.

Orange County, Florida, is pressing forward with its $139 million initiative to transition thousands of properties from aging septic systems to central sewer, awarding an estimated $5.6 million construction contract for Phase 5A of the Wekiva Springs Septic Tank Retrofit Project. The Board of County Commissioners approved the contract with low bidder R.P. Utility and Excavation Corp during its April 21 meeting. The phase will connect 57 homes in the Carol Woods and Wekiva Ridge subdivisions to the county's central sewer system. The mayor noted that the broader multi-phase program aims to eliminate over 2,000 septic tanks, preventing nearly 20,000 pounds of nitrogen per year from reaching the pristine Wekiva Springs. To date, 577 septic systems have been decommissioned across the first three phases. Phase 4, covering an additional 400 parcels, is currently under construction, while over 1,000 more parcels are scheduled or in design. The $139 million program has been heavily subsidized, securing more than $76 million in grants. Additionally, 19 neighborhoods have voted to contribute approximately $14 million in cost-share funds through Municipal Service Benefit Units (MSBUs). During public comment, a Phase 5A resident urged the board to approve the vendor, noting that 25% of her neighborhood suffers from failed drain fields, forcing residents to pay $250 to $350 every two months for cleanouts just to maintain basic water usage. In a separate stormwater management action, the board approved a $1 million contract with Halff Associates, Inc. to develop a real-time flood predictive model. Funded by a Protect grant, the tool will forecast flooding up to 72 hours in advance across eight Orange County watersheds, allowing the county to proactively position resources and activate emergency measures ahead of intense storm events.