Lake Tarpon Vacuum Sewer System Completed

Last week, workers completed the vacuum sewer system for Lake Tarpon. Once approved by the Florida Department of Environmental Protections, the system will provide service to 88 homes. Officials anticipate the approval and use of the system to take place in about 60 days.

Big Bass Drive, Lakeview Drive, Wegmann Drive and Hilltop Court are among the areas that will receive service from the completed system. According to officials, the area was selected because homes close to the water have limited access.

Construction on the facility began in December of 2011. The vacuum system requires shallow, narrow trenches which will cause less surface damage than a gravity system that calls for deep, wide trenches. In addition, the current system only uses one lift station, while a gravity system would need five or more.

The $1.7 million cost of the vacuum system is around the same amount as a gravity system.

City officials notes the following advantages of a vacuum sewer system:

• Only one lift station will need to be tended to for maintenence
• Workers will not be exposed to wastewater because the system is completely enclosed
• The system is leak-proof, which protects the environment from sewage (the water is vacuumed rather than pushed under pressure)

Later this year the next phase of the vacuum sewer system will go to bid, providing service to an additional 80 homes.