Lake Tarpon Septic-to-Sewer Conversion Project

The existing lateral pipeline that connects your home to your septic tank will be located and an appropriate location along the septic lateral will be selected as a connection point for a new sewer service lateral extension. The new sewer lateral extension will be installed from the selected connection point on the existing septic lateral to a connection point on the sewer infrastructure within the County right-of-way or easement. Once the connection to the PCU sewer system is in-service, your existing sewer lateral to the septic system will be cut and reconnected to the new sewer lateral. You will only experience a brief interruption in wastewater service during the connection process (2-4 hours on average). Any interruption in service will be coordinated with the homeowner prior to occurring.

This project may directly impact three neighborhoods that are east of Lake Tarpon and south of Keystone Road in Pinellas County.

• Lora Lane – Including Lora Lane, Quail Forest Drive and Cypress Trail between Whispering Lakes Boulevard and Ranch Road.
• Keystone Ranchettes – Including Appaloosa Road, Forelock Road and Ranch Road between Lora Lane and Woodfield Boulevard.
• Oakhill Acres – Including Dogwood Trace, Maple Trace, Magnolia Trace, Cedar Trace, Willow Trace, and part of Cypress Trace, between East Lake Road South and Westgate Road.

Lake Tarpon is designated as an Outstanding Florida Water and a Fish Management Area. It is the largest lake in Pinellas County with a surface area of four-square miles and its watershed encompasses 52-square miles. The lake is a valuable recreational destination and is renowned for its largemouth bass fishing.

Lake Tarpon faces three main challenges.

• A decline in water quality due to highly urbanized watershed inputs.
• Imbalanced fish communities.
• Increased nuisance algal blooms and non-native vegetation.

The Lake Tarpon Septic to Sewer Conversion Project will help to address these issues by removing watershed nutrient inputs from septic tanks and drainfields in nearby communities. Reducing the level of nutrients reaching Lake Tarpon will also help to restore the hydrology and habitats of the lake and its surrounding wetlands.

It is too early in the design phase to provide an accurate cost to homeowners. We will provide project updates on this webpage and will share this information with all impacted businesses and homeowners as it becomes available.

• Septic tanks hold wastewater in an underground tank near your home. Bacteria in the tank breaks down the waste so that the liquid can be released into a drain field on your property.

• A sewer system moves wastewater directly from your home through a series of pipes to a local wastewater treatment facility. There are two alternatives to provide wastewater service for the properties included within the service area: gravity sewer systems and low-pressure sewer lateral with grinder pump systems.
  • Gravity Sewer Systems are the most common wastewater collection systems for public utilities and involve connecting each customer to gravity sewer mains through service laterals. Wastewater travels through a collection system of mains and manholes and converges at a receiving lift station and ultimately a wastewater treatment facility.

• Low-Pressure Sewer Lateral with Grinder Pump Systems: Low-pressure sewer systems are wastewater systems that use individual grinder pump stations at each home or business and low-pressure force mains as the means of collecting and transporting flow downstream to a receiving gravity system, lift stations, or wastewater treatment plant. These systems perform well in areas with high water table levels and where construction of deep gravity mains would be costly.

• The determination of which type of service is applicable for each individual property is based on several factors, including the set back of the home form the property line, the depth of the infrastructure at the point of connection, and the feasibility of lateral installation via open cut construction or trenchless construction.

Septic systems work by slowly releasing wastewater through a drain field. Aging or failing septic systems often do not fully treat waste, which can cause untreated waste to move to nearby bays, rivers, lakes and drinking water wells. In extreme cases, failed drain systems can result in untreated waste in yards, creating a major health hazard. The reduction and elimination of septic systems is one way we can proactively improve and protect our health, our community, and our valuable waterways. Other benefits of removing septic tanks and connecting to sewer service include:

• Reducing the environmental impact and nutrient loading that impacts water bodies.
• Increasing property value.
• Expanding the availability of land for building and beautification.
• Reducing waste system maintenance and odors.

The average cost for PCU residential sewer service is approximately $45 to $55 per month. PCU bills customers for sewer service every other month, or six times a year, so customers can expect to receive bills of approximately $90 to $110 every other month.

While the County does not plan to require homeowners to connect to the system at this time, we encourage homeowners to take advantage of this conversion opportunity as the design, construction, and connection fees will be included in the project. If a homeowner chooses not to connect during this project, a connection point to the sewer main will be established and any future connection will be at the homeowner’s expense including the connection, permitting, and construction costs.

We appreciate your efforts to keep your septic tank in good working order. While the County does not plan to require homeowners to connect to the system at this time, we encourage homeowners to take advantage of this conversion opportunity as the design, construction, and connection fees will be included in the project. If a homeowner chooses not to connect during this project, a connection point to the sewer main will be established and any future connection will be at the homeowner’s expense including the connection, permitting, and construction costs.

No, you will not be compensated or receive a utility billing discount for your recently repaired or new septic tank. However, all associated costs for the connection to the PCU system will be paid for by the County.

No, you will not get an exemption or discount on your property taxes to compensate for any tax increases that result from removing the septic tank.

After a property is connected to the newly constructed sewer system, the existing septic system must be abandoned within 90 days. An abandonment permit from the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) is required for each septic system abandonment. FDOH will inspect each abandoned septic system following completion.

Depending on the location and type of sewer lateral, a trench may be required to tie into the PCU sewer system. In some cases, a low-pressure service may be installed using trenchless construction, however a trench will be required at the points of connection. Any damage incurred as part of the construction process will be repaired and restored to match the original existing conditions.

Property owners will be responsible for maintenance of their individual private sewer lateral, including the grinder pump for low pressure service laterals, installed within their property limits. PCU will be responsible for infrastructure, including extensions of the sewer lateral, installed within easements or the public right of way.

The County will use a Right of Entry (ROE) Agreement to gain temporary access to your property during the construction of the new sanitary sewer system. The ROE agreement only applies to the specific project duration and if access is needed in the future for a different project, a new ROE would need to be granted. The ROE agreement states that the County will promptly restore any damage to the property owner’s property to a substantially similar condition as before the project commenced.

Construction will typically take place Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 am to 5 pm, with occasional night and weekend work to occur on an as-needed basis to minimize traffic disruptions.

Removing trees is a last resort in order to complete the proposed sewer improvements and will only occur if necessary. Regardless, your property will be returned to existing conditions if impacted by construction as part of the project.

Some driveways may be impacted during construction, and homeowners may need to park their vehicles in a different location for a short time while new sewer pipes are being installed in front of their homes. Advanced notification will be provided to residents.

During construction, one traffic lane will be closed so that the sewer pipeline can be installed beneath the roadway. Flaggers will be present to direct traffic when a lane is closed. Access to homes will be maintained throughout construction.

Residents will be notified in advance of any disruptions to mail delivery and utility services; however, we do not anticipate disruptions at this time.