![The plan for a new wastewater treatment plant calls for building a facility on 24 acres in the Santa Rosa Industrial Park that can accommodate an average daily flow of up to 8 million gallons of wastewater. [File photo]](http://127.0.0.1/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ghows-DA-666ff266-7be1-1f5a-e053-0100007f3076-e34ea33b.jpeg)
MILTON — The city is moving forward with plans for a new wastewater treatment plant in East Milton, a project which has been on the city’s drawing boards for approximately eight years.
Milton’s current sewer plant, located on Municipal Drive, is projected to reach its maximum capacity of 2.5 million gallons a day by 2025. The new plan calls for building a facility on 24 acres in the Santa Rosa Industrial Park that can ultimately accommodate an average daily flow of up to 8 million gallons of wastewater.
In January 2017, Mayor Wesley Meiss presented the city’s plans to state legislators during a meeting of the Northwest Florida legislative delegation. He also wrote a letter to the Santa Rosa County Commissioners asking the board for its support, which they unanimously approved.
Here are seven things you should know about the North Santa Rosa Regional Water Reclamation Facility project:
1. The total cost of the project will be $30 million.
2. The city has $2 million available but will have to borrow the rest, according to City Manager Brian Watkins.
3. The Triumph Board invited Milton to submit a full application for funds. Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation organized to oversee the expenditure of 75 percent of all funds recovered by the Florida attorney general for economic damages to the state that resulted from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
4. According to Watkins, the city is willing to spend $7.5-10 million based on the current income through the water and sewer budget.
5. The city can afford approximately $400,000 a year in debt service for outside loans.
6. The city is looking into a loan from the State Revolving Fund through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
7. A Milton finance subcommittee will be called to discuss the amount the city is willing to spend; that information will be brought to the Executive Committee meeting March 5, and it will then go to the City Council on March 13 for a final decision.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: 7 things to know about Milton's investment in the water treatment plant