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County opposes water plan
By SAUNDRA AMRHEIN, Times Staff Writer
NEW PORT RICHEY -- Water and mosquitoes shared the stage Tuesday as the County Commission took steps it thought would protect the environment and public health. On one of several water issues, the commission voted unanimously to oppose a state proposal that critics believe could doom Tampa Bay Water. The vote came during a meeting at the West Pasco Government Center. Also, the top official at the Southwest Florida Water Management District, or Swiftmud, said after the meeting that his agency, too, has concerns about the state proposal. Swiftmud officials attended the meeting to present plans for a $132.5-million reclaimed water project. The project would help area industries and residents -- including those in central and east Pasco -- use treated wastewater instead of water from the aquifer when irrigating lawns or cooling equipment in factories. On another environmental issue, commissioners voted unanimously to pursue a law that would expand the boundaries of the Mosquito Control District to include the entire county. The law needs to be written and presented at two public hearings before a final vote from the commission. On the Tampa Bay Water issue, state House Speaker Johnnie Byrd favors giving the water agency's member governments veto power over water projects in their back yards to prevent environmental damage from groundwater pumping. Byrd, R-Plant City, has shown an interest in stopping pumping at Cone Ranch in his district. On Monday, the Tampa Bay Water Board voted 7-1 to oppose the legislation. Pasco Commissioner Ted Schrader was the sole dissenting vote on the water board. Although on Tuesday, he joined his fellow Pasco commissioners to show unity on the issue in opposing it. But he said he still doesn't believe the "doom and gloom" predictions that the bill would destroy Tampa Bay Water. His peers disagreed, anticipating the divisions and water wars of the past. "I think the answer is to build a coalition and push and lobby from within," Commissioner Steve Simon said. Outside the meeting, Swiftmud's new executive director, David Moore, said his agency's chairman was preparing to send a letter Tuesday to Tallahassee expressing concerns about the legislation. "We've long advocated a regional approach to water management," he said. Moore attended the meeting for another purpose. He unveiled to commissioners a Swiftmud plan to build $132.5-million worth of pipes, storage tanks and other infrastructure for a network to funnel treated wastewater from the Howard F. Curran Wastewater Treatment Plant in Tampa. The treated water would flow to homes and businesses in central and east Pasco, as well as Hillsborough County. Swiftmud still is in the process of lining up the funding for the five-year project, for which it would contribute $42-million. It hopes to obtain $42-million from the federal government, $11.5-million from Pasco County, $12.5-million from Hillsborough County and $2-million from Temple Terrace. Moore told the commissioners that most residents benefiting from the project would be in new developments. The rest, he said, would be in older homes whose pipes would be retrofitted. Using the treated wastewater for lawn irrigation and industrial use would prevent tapping 25-million gallons of water a day from the aquifer, Moore said. In other business Tuesday, the commission voted unanimously to enter an agreement with New Port Richey to jointly purchase 26 acres for $1.5-million for a wastewater treatment plant expansion. The commission also agreed to move ahead with plans to put a school board appointee on the county Planning Commission. -- Saundra Amrhein covers Pasco County government. She can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6244 or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6244. Her e-mail address is amrhein@sptimes.com
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