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Monthly Archives: September 2024

Hands holding a glass of water

Blue Heron fishing in water at Polk County parkWater Conservation in Polk County

Polk County Utilities Division (PCU) has been a leader in water conservation. Conserving water is important to Polk County for the following reasons:

• Water conservation helps ensure there will be water for future generations.
• Water conservation helps to keep water affordable for everyone.
• Water conservation keeps our state’s lakes, streams and wetlands healthy.

Polk Utilities helps the community save water. They provide information, rebate opportunities, outreach events, irrigation system audits and hold community presentations.

Using reclaimed water is one conservation effort used by Polk County. Reclaimed water is highly-treated wastewater that is distributed to homes for use as irrigation water. For every gallon of water that is reclaimed, one less gallon of water needs to be taken from the aquifer. This means more water can be used as drinking water and for indoor use.

Despite these efforts, the demand for water is greater than the supply. These water supply challenges are not unique to Polk County. The majority of water providers in Central Florida are looking for ways to provide water from alternative sources. Unfortunately, these alternative supplies are expensive to construct.

Florida is running out of inexpensive water. The problem is real, serious and now.

Did you know that Florida’s freshwater supply primarily comes from the upper Floridan aquifer? The water we drink mostly comes from an aquifer that’s underneath our feet.

But we’re using the upper Floridan aquifer’s resources faster than nature can replenish them. The upper Floridan aquifer is in danger of being over-pumped. Next year, the aquifer will reach its maximum safe level of withdrawals. After that, we will see impacts on lakes, streams and wetlands.
Floridan aquifer diagram

If the upper Floridan aquifer is over-pumped, Polk County’s lakes, rivers and streams may begin to dry up or stop flowing. It also increases the risk of sinkhole formation. Here in Polk County, we cherish our outdoor lifestyle and lakes, streams and wetlands are part of who we are as Floridians.

The solutions to protect Florida’s natural water resources are costly.

The only way to protect our natural water resources is to work now on alternative water supplies. This requires, for example, digging below the upper Floridan aquifer as deep as 2,000 feet to the lower Floridan aquifer for water. This is an expensive process and the water will require treatment to remove salts and minerals that are not pleasant to drink.

Polk County Utilities Projects

In addition to addressing water supply, additional capacity is required at Polk County’s wastewater treatment facilities. Collecting and treating wastewater is a necessity for public health and safety. Wastewater is treated to meet reclaimed water standards, which is then used for irrigation, reducing the need for fresh water supplies. This process is also expensive.

These two growing pressures prompted Polk County to perform a comprehensive rate study to determine the rates and fees necessary to support future capital and operational expenses. Simply put, it was time to reassess what it costs to provide water to Polk County’s residents in a safe and reliable manner.

Polk County Utilities Rate Increases

You’re probably wondering what all of this means to you. To meet the increased demands, Polk County water and wastewater rates will increase by 6% on October 1, 2024. The rates will continue to increase by 6% every year through 2028.

Polk County Utilities Division has not increased water and wastewater rates since 2019.

Similarly, the surcharge assessed on water usage (amount added to bill on top of standard rate, based on use) will increase by $0.25/1,000 gallons each year from October 2024 through October 2028. This will help supplement alternative water supply projects in Polk County. A similar surcharge will be added to reclaimed water usage.

Connection fees are money collected from new residents who are connecting to the utilities system to pay for capacity in the system. Residential water service connection fees will increase from $2,844 to $2,942 on January 1, 2025, and then to $3,038 on October 1, 2025. Residential wastewater connection fees, meanwhile, will increase from $4,195 to $5,182 to $6,168 in the same timeframe.

Additionally, fees for other services will increase based on the cost of providing the services. At the direction of the Polk County Board of County Commissioners, increases based on the Florida Public Service Commission index may be added annually to the rates to adjust for inflation, if needed.

These rate changes will impact all Polk County Utilities customers. For a complete list of rates and fees, visit

www.polk-county.net/services/utilities/rates-and-fees or call (863) 298-4100.

Ways to Save Water and Money

young tomato plant growing with drip irrigation in Polk County, Florida

Even as the Polk Utilities rates increase, there are things you can do to conserve water and positively impact your bills.

Indoor water efficiency:
• Install low-flow toilets and shower heads.
• Check washing machines, toilets and pipes often for leaks.
• Do not let water run needlessly.
• Turn off the water when you’re brushing your teeth.
• Invest in water-saving appliances.

Outdoor water efficiency:
• Modify landscaping to feature Florida-friendly plants and grass.
• Invest in rain sensors or smart irrigation timers.

Florida’s Water Dilemma Impacts Polk County Utilities Rates

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Reduce, reuse, recycle in Polk County, Florida

The Polk County Solid Waste Division will be implementing two new “Green” projects focused on sustainability and renewable energy. The Solid Waste Division is doing its part to focus on “reducing” and “reusing” to pave the way for a cleaner, greener Polk County.

Many people recognize the logo linked to recycling with its triangle of arrows forming a closed loop. Three arrows in that logo represent the three Rs of the waste management hierarchy. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. While recycling is important, all three components are necessary for proper waste management.

Reducing focuses on minimizing the amount of waste that is created. For example, choosing products with less packaging or using items that are durable instead of disposable. Reusing aims to find new uses for products that might otherwise be thrown out. Using plastic containers as planters is a great example of reusing.

Recycling takes used materials and processes them into new products. You can find information about recycling in Polk County, Florida at the Solid Waste Division’s Recyclable Material Collection. This includes details about what materials you can recycle and where to recycle them.

Though recycling gets the lion’s share of attention, the other two should take priority. Reducing waste is the first step, and that is something that can be controlled based on our purchasing decisions. The second step is to reuse any items that can be repurposed. This could be as simple as donating clothes and other items we are no longer using. Then, and only then, when those options are no longer available, does recycling come into play.

Reduce: Leachate Treatment Facility

Leachate Treatment Facility at the North Central LandfillThe Leachate Treatment Facility at the North Central Landfill is set to begin operations on Oct. 11. This facility, built by Thalle – with the help of the University of Florida’s Sustainable Materials Management Research Laboratory – will allow for the treatment of leachate in an environmentally-friendly way.

But what is leachate and why does leachate treatment matter? Leachate happens when rainwater seeps through garbage in landfills. Leachate accumulates on the landfill base liner where it must then be collected and treated.

Right now, Polk County spends about $2.5 million a year to ship its leachate to a wastewater treatment plant. This not only costs the county money, but it also means more carbon emissions from the trucks that deliver the leachate. Having a facility at the Polk County landfill to treat leachate naturally will save money and help the environment.

The facility mimics natural wetlands, taking the leachate through several filtering processes until it ends up in a zero-discharge industrial wastewater pond. This process brings the water to acceptable quality levels.

This facility is expected to pay for itself within five years. Dale Henderson, Director of Polk County’s Solid Waste Division, stated, “Polk County residents should then begin to see decreased landfill operating costs as a result. More importantly, we’re going to have a positive impact on the environment.”

Polk County, Florida Opal Fuels renewable gas plant

Reuse: Renewable Natural Gas Plant

The second project is the Renewable Natural Gas Plant at the North Central Landfill, which will begin operating at the end of September. This facility, owned and operated by Opal Fuels, will take biogas produced by the landfill, process it as renewable natural gas and turn it into compressed natural gas (CNG).

As organic materials decompose in the landfill, they produce biogases, including methane. Right now, by government mandate, biogas is flared into the atmosphere which releases carbon dioxide.

The new plant will collect biogas and remove moisture, sulfur, carbon dioxide and other impurities from it. During this process, the biogas is turned into a usable low-carbon CNG fuel. This will help reduce carbon emissions, turning what used to be a pollutant into a valuable energy resource.

Polk County’s two waste collection service providers, FCC Environmental and GFL Environmental, power their vehicles using CNG. Henderson explained, “This creates an environmentally friendly closed loop. First, landfill trash creates biogas, which Opal Fuels converts into renewable natural gas and then into CNG. FCC and GFL use CNG to fuel the vehicles picking up the county’s garbage. By turning our biogas into CNG, we are helping our service providers avoid using diesel fuel.”

Polk County Leading the Way

These sustainability projects position Polk County as a leader in the waste management industry.

“The Leachate Treatment Facility and the Renewable Gas Plant will have a significant and positive impact on the environment in Polk County,” Henderson emphasized. “These initiatives establish Polk County as a waste industry leader. We’re investing in the well-being of our community.”

As these two facilities begin operations in October, Polk County residents can count on a more environmentally friendly approach to waste management. These projects show that there is more to being “green” than just recycling. By reducing waste and reusing resources as well, we can make a positive impact on our environment.

For more frequently asked questions about recycling, waste disposal and collection schedules, visit Polk County Solid Waste FAQs.

Polk County Solid Waste Division’s New “Green” Projects

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