Sunday, June 25, 2006
Debate Continues on Islamorada Sewers
The problem of what to do with Islamorada's sewage is no nearer to a conclusion, evidenced by actions - or lack thereof - at a Thursday Village Council workshop. The tension ran high as the council evaluated options for waste disposal.
Islamorada has two viable alternatives, according to a report by Esciences, a consulting firm hired by the village. The village can either deal with its own waste by building and operating its own wastewater plants, or can pump some or possibly all of its sewage north to Key Largo with an interlocal agreement.
Islamorada residents were concerned that if the village went with the interlocal agreement with the Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District, the $6 million spent on its only plant and collection system would be a waste, because the plant would be decommissioned.
“The two alternatives are virtually the same cost-wise, based on our estimate,” said Laura Woodbury of Esciences, who included the $6 million already spent on the North Plantation Key plant and collection system in the cost estimate for pumping waste to Key Largo.
According to the study, it would cost $29.4 million for Islamorada to build treatment plants and collection systems, and $28.4 million for Islamorada to pump the waste to Key Largo. Woodbury explained that any savings would come in the long run because by pumping wastewater to Key Largo, the village would not have to deal with maintenance, replacement and management of several smaller plants.
But because the study is conceptual, the accuracy of the estimates can range from negative 30 percent to positive 50 percent of the actual costs, she said.
The Complete Story
Islamorada has two viable alternatives, according to a report by Esciences, a consulting firm hired by the village. The village can either deal with its own waste by building and operating its own wastewater plants, or can pump some or possibly all of its sewage north to Key Largo with an interlocal agreement.
Islamorada residents were concerned that if the village went with the interlocal agreement with the Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District, the $6 million spent on its only plant and collection system would be a waste, because the plant would be decommissioned.
“The two alternatives are virtually the same cost-wise, based on our estimate,” said Laura Woodbury of Esciences, who included the $6 million already spent on the North Plantation Key plant and collection system in the cost estimate for pumping waste to Key Largo.
According to the study, it would cost $29.4 million for Islamorada to build treatment plants and collection systems, and $28.4 million for Islamorada to pump the waste to Key Largo. Woodbury explained that any savings would come in the long run because by pumping wastewater to Key Largo, the village would not have to deal with maintenance, replacement and management of several smaller plants.
But because the study is conceptual, the accuracy of the estimates can range from negative 30 percent to positive 50 percent of the actual costs, she said.
The Complete Story
New Holiday Isle Owner to Keep All Deep-sea Captains - No Back-Country Boats
This report is from the Key West Citizen. All of Holiday Isle's deep-sea fishing fleet can stay at the famous marina, but none of the backcountry fishermen can, according to a revised redevelopment plan the resort's new owner has submitted to the village.
Ceebraid Signal's plans, filed Wednesday, propose retaining all 20 of the existing charter boat slips, instead of keeping only 12 as outlined in a pre-application the company submitted to the village last month.
"There has been a change in the concept of the project, for sure," said Bill Fountain, an Islamorada-based developer who recently joined Ceebraid Signal as a consultant. None of the resort's 15 backcountry slips would be preserved, however. As previously planned, the company would set aside 20 boat slips for short-term noncommercial use.
The Complete Story
