Florida Governmental Utility Authority (FGUA) officials appeared before the Lee County Commissioners last week at a management and planning meeting with the board. The topic was the utility and its plans to hook up people in Lehigh to the system. There are several properties that are not hooked up to sewer lines as dictated by Florida law.

Commissioner Tammy Hall said “there should be no wells or septic in platted communities.”

Commissioner Brian Bigelow called the situation “a recipe for human disaster.”

In the discussion with representatives of FGUA on Jan. 5, Lee County Commission Chairman Ray Judah asked why the the hookups to the FGUA system were not completed.

“I’m disappointed. I thought this was already done,” Judah said.

Jim Lavender, director of the Public Works Administration, told the Commission the county utilities in the last year were now caught up. Judah told the FGUA board that “based on state statute you are to connect.”

And in 30 days he said he wanted a follow-up with the Board.

Robert Sheets, system manager of FGUA, told the Commission on January 15 that the plan on the Lehigh connections would soon be submitted.

The main sewer lines run from Joel and 11th East Street to Leland Heights to Lee Boulevard almost to SR82.

A line goes along Homestead through the commercial area. Additional lines serve communities off of Richmond, Milwaukee, and Leonard including Woodridge and Westminster.

All homeowners along the sewer lines who are not already connected will receive written notices to connect. They will be told it is required by law.

Sheets told the BOCC that FGUA would comply with county standards. This requires that within six months of notice, connection will be completed. The destruction of septic systems will have to done according to state standards. The work must be done by a certified plumber with county inspection.

It is expected that in the next 45 days notices will be sent.

As of this past weekend, The Citizen was unable to obtain a list of homeowners or their addresses.

Sheets said that FGUA would solicit and establish a list of qualified vendors to perform the work to assist homeowners.

The utility is authorized to provide payment plans. A list of 101 homeowners requiring both water and wastewater connection is being reviewed.

Some many have already connected to the system. Phase 1 also includes 249 homes in developed areas as potential water customers for connection to the system at a cost of $4,196. The estimated cost for both connections is currently $10,336.

If only a wastewater connection is required, the cost has been estimated to be $6,140. There will be no impact fees to the county.

The community plan provides for initial infrastructure development in Tier 1. This is the area bounded by Joel, Leland Heights, Homestead, and West 6th Street.

Tarek M. Fahmy, director of operations, told the BOCC that he expected the Florida Department of Environmental Protection would issue the necessary operating permit for the additional water capacity in the completed plant expansion in the next eight months. This will almost double to 4 million gallons per day the available water supply.

Judah said that as soon as the North Fort Myers utility issue has been resolved he “would like to take action as soon as possible” on the Lehigh utility. Lee County has first choice on the purchase of FGUA. And commissioners have said for the past several years that the county would likely purchase the Lehigh system.

As of December 31, 2008 the system has 12,642 water customers including 10,160 wastewater accounts. There is $65 million in outstanding revenue bond debt, which Lee County would assume if it buys the system.

On Thursday, February 19 at 1 p.m. the FGUA Board of Directors will meet in Lehigh Acres at the Majestic Golf Course, 350 Homestead Road. The board meetings of FGUA are open to the public.