FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                     April 28, 2023

 

Contact: 

Kinsey Miller

Public Information Officer

(850) 926-0919 Ext. 712

WAKULLA COUNTY, Fla – Wakulla County has made significant efforts towards protecting its springs, which are recognized as valuable ecological and economic resources. The County has implemented a comprehensive strategy for safeguarding groundwater and the springs, which includes meticulous planning, adopting policies and regulations for groundwater protection, and the pursuit of grant funding for infrastructure upgrades such as septic-to-sewer conversions and aquifer recharge initiatives. The County has also established partnerships with various stakeholders and state agencies to ensure a coordinated approach to springs protection.

The County has implemented regulatory standards for performance-based septic tanks, limitations on density, and requirements for centralized sewer. Adopted policies also require 100 – 300-foot setbacks from springs and karst features and address the use and storage of hazardous materials around sensitive karst areas and public drinking water supplies, including fertilizer regulations and fracking protections. Additionally, the County prohibits the removal of large quantities of groundwater without approval by the Board of County Commissioners.

Wakulla County is currently constructing and planning several projects and programs in collaboration with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Northwest Florida Water Management District to protect Wakulla Springs from excess nitrate pollution. These efforts will remove over 88,000 pounds of nitrate from the system each year, with a focus on septic-to-sewer projects in vulnerable areas, improving wastewater infrastructure, and expanding Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT) capacity. Wakulla County is one of the few rural counties in Florida that treat wastewater to AWT standards, the highest level of treatment recognized. Additionally, the County is constructing systems at the golf course and Medart Recreation Park to spray reclaimed water to recharge the aquifer.

To ensure the protection of its springs, Wakulla County passed the first Spring Protection Zone ordinance in the state in 1994. The enforceable area was expanded in 2008 to include vulnerable zones within the Wakulla Springs Basin. Most recently, Wakulla County has proposed amendments to the Wakulla Springs Protection Regulations that aim to strengthen existing protections and address new threats to the springs. The proposed Regulations would apply to commercial and industrial developers in the Springs Protection Zone that store, use, or produce regulated substances like petroleum. The Regulations are grouped into three features: exploratory studies to determine lithology, detailed construction standards, and robust monitoring and reporting requirements.

 

As the County continues to pursue future protection measures to implement, staff have applied for funding of a feasibility study to create a centralized sewer collection and treatment project for the eastern portion of Wakulla. The project includes construction of a central AWT treatment facility and removal of existing treatment facilities on the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers. This allows for the establishment of a septic-to-sewer project in the northeast portion of Wakulla County, which is considered the most vulnerable portion of the Woodville Karst Plain. Once completed, this project will reduce the number of septic tanks in the Wakulla Springs Basin and further prevent nitrate pollution.

Wakulla County's leadership and commitment to sustainable and responsible environmental practices will have a lasting positive impact on the health and well-being of the community for years to come, solidifying its status as a leader in springs protection. To learn more about the proposed Wakulla Springs Protection Regulations, please visit mywakulla.com.