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(columns)

Chassahowitzka wastewater system is good move

Dennis Damato

By DENNIS DAMATO
Published April 18, 2006

As a resident, businessman and property owner continuously for 35 years here in Citrus County, I have witnessed many discussions and debates regarding water quality. Now as I am privileged to serve as a commissioner, I feel it is my duty to protect and improve water quality throughout Citrus County.

We are extremely fortunate to be blessed with an abundant amount of natural resources in Citrus County, most of which have a surface water component. Over 50 percent of our land is publicly owned, forming conservation and recreational areas on the coast (the Chassahowitzka, St. Martins, Crystal River and Kings Bay federal reserves); in the center (the Withlacoochee State Forest and Jordan Ranch); and the east side state and water management preserves)).

Our water resources provide habitat for plants and animals; water filtering and recharge, commerce, recreation and tourism, all of which provide jobs and other taxable elements for our county. All Citrus County residents are stakeholders in the preservation and protection of our precious natural resources with water quality as a top priority.

Recently, a permanent remedy for the provision of water and wastewater services was approved for the Chassahowitzka area by the Board of County Commissioners. The approval of a central water and wastewater system in the environmentally sensitive area of Chassahowitzka is one huge step toward improving water quality.

The Chassahowitzka wastewater system will provide significantly greater water quality protection to the resource in a number of ways. The system will perform treatment of the wastewater to meet water quality standards while providing a direct protection to the environment as well.

Through these efforts, it is my hope that a countywide wastewater community standard will be set including the capture of sewage effluent, pumping to central treatment plants, treatment to 93 percent purity of drinking water standards and reuse to conserve existing water supplies.

The county has worked hard to obtain local, state and federal grants to help buy down the cost of the water and wastewater systems in Chassahowitzka. The benefits of both systems will far outweigh the cost in return for safe, healthy, and clean waterways. I am extremely proud of this decision to move forward, as it shows the board's commitment to preserve and protect our water resources.

The Chassahowitzka project will hopefully be the first of many projects accomplished in the environmentally sensitive areas throughout Citrus County.

Dennis Damato is the Citrus County commissioner from District 1. Guest columnists write their own views on subjects they choose, which do no necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.

[Last modified April 18, 2006, 01:50:23]