I somehow missed this excellent letter on KeysNet.com.  It was published on Friday.

The state law requiring advanced wastewater treatment puts the onus on the property owner not the local wastewater utility.  In other words, it is the property owner who is required to comply and will face consequences for not doing so.

Monroe Park is located on the stretch.  It is within the jurisdiction of the Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District (District).  The District’s territory stretches from the county line to the Tavernier Creek bridge.  The District does not strictly have to provide sewer service to a given property.  But I believe in this case, they should.

The letter writer made the excellent point that state money is available.  True!  In fact, the Monroe Park project was included in the District’s agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for the $17 million from the state.  If the District were to provide sewer to the area it would relieve an ongoing pollution issue, which is why the District exists in the first place.  It would also make compliance affordable for the citizens in that area, as well as ongoing operation.  Not only that it alleviates a legal headache for the FDEP and the Health Department.

I’ll dig into this more when I can, but it’s a small project and it can definitely be paid for with state money.  There’s absolutely no financial reason not to do it.  I think the reasons probably have more to do with pleasing Monroe County – ie. making more state money available to them at the expense of the ratepayers.