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Wastewater site dispute nears joint resolution
By MELIA BOWIE, Times Staff Writer
NEW PORT RICHEY -- Pasco County officials are ready to make a deal that will end a 17-month spat with the city of New Port Richey over a wastewater storage site. The two governments have been at odds since the fall of 2001 over their plans to buy 26 acres near their jointly operated wastewater treatment plant at 4730 Main St. It appears the joint $1.5-million purchase will now go through. "The county made an offer to settle the dispute which the city accepted in concept," City Manager Gerald Seeber said Tuesday. New Port Richey wanted the land to build storage tanks needed to comply with state environmental requirements. The tanks would enable the plant to cut back its discharge of untreated (or rejected) water into the Gulf of Mexico. "The county has always said all along that we only need 6 acres for reject storage," said Doug Bramlett, assistant county administrator. But the landowner, Algernon-Blair Inc. of Alabama, refused to split the parcel. "The city of New Port Richey was prepared to file a lawsuit against the county" forcing compliance, said Seeber. "I don't know what changed their (county officials') minds." Bramlett said the county does not need the extra land "but we said 'okay, we'll do it if they're (the city) going to be hard-headed.' ". . . This is an issue that should not have been an issue," he said. "We need to get the project done." Representatives from both governments met Friday and brokered a deal. Under the conceptual agreement, the city will pay 60 percent of the purchase price and the county will fund 40 percent. Both governments must vote to finalize the deal. Officials anticipate closing on the land within the next two months, Seeber said. Construction of the nearly $6-million project likely would begin in June on 6 acres. The fate of the excess land is undecided. Of the 20 remaining acres, about 5 are wetlands that can't be used. The contract between Pasco County and New Port Richey would allow either government to essentially buy their partner out. If that happens, County Commissioner Peter Altman briefly discussed using the empty land for recreational uses such as a dog park. City officials said they would probably want to use the extra acres to expand the existing plant, which now sits on 30 acres dominated by wetlands. Only about 10 acres are usable, said Roger Goodwin, operations manager for the plant. "We're pretty built out," he said, predicting the need for extra storage tanks will increase in future. The planned project would provide tanks that can hold 71/2-million gallons (a day's output of "rejected" water that is unfit for consumption or irrigation until it is retreated. -- Melia Bowie covers the city of New Port Richey. She can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6229, or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6229. Her e-mail address is bowie@sptimes.com
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