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Windemere Utilities convinces county of system's worthiness
By BILL COATS, Times Staff Writer
LUTZ -- Windemere Utilities Co. faced a set of draconian choices. The private utility, which serves 1,017 homes in Lutz, was under a ruling by county environmental regulators that said its sewage treatment system was too small. By Jan. 31, it was required to take one of the following actions: Obtain permits to expand the system onto additional land, at a cost of $500,000. Contract to sell its system to Hillsborough County. Contract to connect the system to the county's system. But there was an escape hatch. Windemere also could convince the county that its system was sufficient after all. With the help from a deluge of rain in December, Windemere did just that. "They said we do not need to buy more land, which saves the customers a half a million dollars," said Windemere owner Robert Kratz. Specifically, Hillsborough's Environmental Protection Commission concluded that Windemere is equipped to treat 185,000 gallons of sewage daily. Previously, the EPC pegged the capacity at 124,000 gallons. "We've argued all along that we're putting out 160,000 gallons a day," said Kratz, a retired dentist. "We've been putting it out for 10 years. If the capacity's 124,000, where's the water going?" It overflowed in the winter of 1997-98, a violation of EPC rules. El Nino had brought some of the rainiest months in local history. Windemere's overflow led to the EPC crackdown. The situation had been worsened by years of minimal investment in the sewer system. Mired in an ownership dispute, Kratz was unable to bring a case for higher rates to the Hillsborough County Commission. Windemere's rates stayed rock-bottom cheap for 20 years. Meanwhile, thick layers of muck had filled the beds of Windemere's sewage holding ponds, making them shallower. And the muck slowed the wastewater's percolation into the soil. Windemere began raising rates in 1999 and has cleaned three of its four ponds. By the time a milder El Nino returned last year, the ponds were ready. "The 15 inches of rain we had in December, the ponds didn't even budge," Kratz said. Mike Newman, the EPC's enforcement coordinator, said the cleaning helped a lot. "That helps not only in terms of volume, but in terms of percolation," he said. He said the recent rain prompted the EPC to revise some engineering calculations it was applying in addressing high water tables, which also led to the higher capacity. Newman also credited a surge tank Windemere added to its plant. That regulates the flow of sewage through the system, Newman said. "It helps the treatment plant produce cleaner water, so the ponds don't get fouled as quickly." Windemere still is destined to be linked to Hillsborough County utilities, shutting down its own treatment facilities. The county has a goal of acquiring all private utilities by 2010. Kevin McConnell, a general manager in the county's Water Department, said Hillsborough is focusing now on other utilities, although a sale of Windemere has been discussed. "Dr. Kratz and the county couldn't come anywhere close to a figure we could agree on," he said. -- Bill Coats can be reached at (813) 269-5309 or coats@sptimes.com .
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