Indian Harbour Beach canals that were ground zero for raw sewage discharges during post-Hurricane Irma flooding will soon get some relief in the form of $5.7 million from the Save Our Indian River Lagoon Half-cent Sales Tax.
The allocation, if approved by county commissioners April 10, will go toward $9.6 million in needed muck dredging in all canals that are directly connected to the Banana River, including all the section of the Grand Canal located within the city of Indian Harbour Beach.
Officials with the Save Our Indian River Lagoon Project Plan on March 7 approved recommendations of a citizen oversight committee on a total of $25.9 million for a total of 42 clean-up projects in the Indian River Lagoon, estimated to cost about $68 million to be partially funded by other agencies. Those projects would reduce nitrogen going into the lagoon by 96,956 pounds a year and phosphorous going into the lagoon by 10,109 pounds a year.
During and after Hurricane Irma in 2017, the county discharged nearly 20 million gallons of raw sewage into an Indian Harbour Beach canal to keep the sewage from backing up in streets and homes in Indian Harbour Beach and Satellite Beach.
During the event, Indian Harbour Beach City Manager Mark Ryan described living in “ground zero” for the discharges, requiring businesses to close and residents to hide inside. “It impacted their lives. Citizens couldn’t utilize their yards,’’ he said. Subsequent studies showed a concentration of muck in those canals.
The funding recommendations will be put before Brevard County Commissioners, likely April 10. If approved, the funding for the projects will be available according to the spending schedule requested and submitted by the cities, said Brevard County Natural Resources Management Department Director Virginia Barker. In addition to muck removal, the plan for restoring the lagoon includes education efforts, upgrades to wastewater treatment facilities, septic system removal and upgrades, stormwater improvements, fertilizer management, oyster reefs and living shorelines projects.
Brevard voters on Nov. 8 approved the lagoon sales tax for the next 10 years. The sales tax, which will raise about $34 million annually, started to be collected on Jan. 1.
