Eugene Wordehoff, Mike Lyster | Collier Citizens Council
On August 22, 2019, the Marco City Council received a letter from FDEP with notification that the canals were impaired for high levels of nitrogen pollution. Marco Island then engaged a Dr. Harper to investigate this impairment and make recommendations. The recommendations from the “Harper Report” form the basis of the current city program to correct the nitrogen impairment called the “Matrix.”
Even though dredging of Marco Island was the #1 recommendation of the Harper report at a staggering $189,820,000, Dr. Harper stated verbally (twice) that he did not recommend dredging Marco Island. Who made that recommendation? Harper did say verbally (twice) “take care of the reuse water first.” The Marco sewage reuse water contains high levels of phosphorus.
Marco has since come out of nitrogen impairment. What happened? Looking at the history of nitrogen pollution from the Marco Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), the nitrogen concentration in the sewage reuse water increased by 120% between 2009 and 2017. The Marco waterbody went into nitrogen impairment in 2017 and 2018 and, following the rules, was declared impaired in 2019.
In April 2019, during the Florida water quality crisis, Marco Island City Council convened a water quality workshop. It is reported that the sewage plant manager met with the city manager and one of the councilors. A decision was made to voluntarily reduce the nitrogen concentration in the sewage reuse water. By 2021, the Marco canals were out of nitrogen impairment. The Marco canals have been out of nitrogen impairment for three full years now and Marco Island is currently in the FDEP “delist” process for the nitrogen impairment. It appears that the sewage plant was the cause of the nitrogen impairment and the solution.
Why does this matter? According to the Public Works Department Report (May 2024), future spending on the projects that make up the “Matrix” is projected to be over $48,000,000. The justification for these projects is to correct a nitrogen impairment that has not existed for three full years. The momentum to spend money in the “pipeline” is unstoppable. Let’s not embarrass anyone. This is a gross misuse of public funds.
One thing about Marco Island water quality cannot be denied: The summertime oxygen in the Marco canals has dropped by 70% between 2019 and 2023. Why? The island has reached the limit of how much phosphorus pollution can be absorbed by the island sediments. Phosphorus in the sewage reuse water is now feeding algal blooms.
Phosphorus levels in the Marco waterways has been increasing for three years and have now exceeded the FDEP impairment limits. Marco Island is technically impaired for excess phosphorus. If this continues for two years, FDEP will formally declare Marco Island impaired for high levels of phosphorus in 2026.
In late 2022, the City of Marco Island issued a Request for Information (RFI) for Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT) technologies to remove phosphorus from reuse water. There were several responses. In early 2023, the Marco City Council voted on a motion to hear from these firms. This motion failed with 3 yes votes and 4 no votes.
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