Restoring Hope

Everglade City’s only wastewater treatment facility, previously damaged by detrimental Hurricanes Irma and Ian in 2018 and 2021, has been rebuilt and overhauled with the support of state and federal aid. Many residents have been relying on septic tanks in the meantime and celebrate this solution to the community’s long-standing sewage problems. The new wastewater treatment facility will stop toxic waste overflow from these tanks, which was a recurring issue during past storms due to frequent localized flooding. The facility impacts more than just Everglades City - it's critical to the whole region. The old plant's failure was a major environmental issue. This upgrade protects the environment, improves quality of life, and could even save lives by preventing harmful sewage spills during major storms.

Without the help of federal and state funding, the quaint, tight-knit community of Everglades City, located between Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve, would not have been able to fund such major structural improvements to the $14.8 million wastewater treatment facility on their own. Since the most recent census in 2020, recording a population of 357, the population has increased by 11.76% and now sits at 399. The population of Everglades City is growing rapidly, at a rate of 2.84% annually, according to the Word Population Review. With the facility’s decreased functionality and rising cause for concern, it was necessary to implement the new treatment facility in order to support the city’s growing population.

Through combined efforts of local, state, and national leaders, $6.5 million went towards the wastewater treatment plant’s restoration. Funding for the water treatment facility’s rejuvenation came from the State Revolving Fund, a state Land Planning and Administration grant, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Other improvement projects planned for the community of Everglades City include a new fire station, replacing the current building that has sunk twice, a community center that would serve as a local gathering place, and an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) responsible for emergency response, preparedness, and disaster management in times of emergency, would all prove impossible without the support of state and federal aid. 

After the new facility saw eight to 14 inches of rainfall recently, the U.S Water Corp., which is contracted by Everglades City, expressed the need for an additional 200,000 gallon surge container to the property and that a raised transformer needs to be replaced. Everglades City leaders stress the importance of continuing forward with making structural improvements and that there is still more work to be done, including the removal of septic tanks from Plantation Island and all residents in the area. While more than one project cannot be tackled at a time, the city and community leaders are working hard to restore functionality to current structures in the meantime. Everglades City hopes to see Collier County firefighters employed at their local station, which saw improvements to the roof on June 18th.

The city’s new and improved water treatment facility brought many members of the population peace of mind and at the same time, lit a fire within city leaders and local organizations, motivating them to continue to nurture the growth and development of Everglades City and its community.