Local News

AP eyes Damon Utilities purchase

Marc Valero | Highlands Today
Published: September 24, 2012

AVON PARK - The City of Avon Park may extend its utility services with the purchase of Damon utilities.

At its meeting today, the city council will consider purchasing the utility system for $250,000.

City Manager Julian Deleon noted that about six months ago the city started the due diligence review of the Damon Utilities acquisition, which would add 280 water accounts and 105 sewer accounts to the city with the possibility of further expansion to the north.

In the agenda summary, Deleon states the system's yearly operating revenue projections are estimated to be $120,000.

As part of this acquisition, the city would continue to operate this small water system; however, the city would eventually interconnect the Damon distribution system with the city's distribution system for "redundancy, efficiency and simplicity," Deleon said.

The decommissioning of the Damon small package wastewater plant would remove the usual nuisances associated with the operation of a wastewater treatment plant within an urbanized development, he said. Once the plant is demolished, the land where the plant currently sits would be reclaimed.

The city's two water treatment plants have emergency generators, which could continue to operate the water plants during times of power outages, Deleon said. If Damon customers are part of the Avon Park Utility System, this would ensure water availability even during a power outage.

He stated that the utility system's capital improvements must be completed within a five-year period, noting the water capital improvement costs are $131,000 and the wastewater capital improvement costs are $250,000.

Customers will pay city utility rates, which are presently higher than the Damon Utilities rates.

Also at today's meeting, council will consider the first reading of an ordinance to annex about 11.58 acres of land owned by the city, which is south of South Florida State College and just south of Lake Glenada Road.

The city's Public Works Department is located on the land, which is at 2311 and 2301 U.S. 27 S.

mvalero@highlandstoday.com (863) 386-5826