AP won't accept wastewater from RV park

The city of Avon Park is walking away from a potentially stinky situation.

In February, the city council decided the city will no longer accept wastewater discharge from Lake Glenada RV and Mobile Home Park.

The changes were prompted when Public Works Director Julian Deleon saw the RV park's effluent, or wastewater discharge, into the city's percolation ponds as a potential liability.

The percolation ponds where the effluent is being discharged contain sludge, which alerted Deleon of possible problems. Although officials could not determine the source of the sludge, the city and the RV park are the only ones discharging into those ponds

The RV park's past compliance issues heightened the city's concerns.

The facility was issued several letters warning them of violations by the Department of Environmental Protection in 2008, 2005, 2007 and with the previous owner in 1999.

During the meeting, Deleon and city attorney Gerald Buhr both agreed the city was at a greater risk of liability and fines from the DEP if they continue to accept the RV park's effluent.

"The bottom line is that we have no control over the effluent they are discharging into our percolation ponds, and we are the ones responsible for that," Deleon said.

The RV park owns and operates its own wastewater facility. For over a decade, it had had an unwritten agreement with the city that allowed it to discharge its effluent into the city's percolation ponds and pay a reduced wastewater service rate.

"We are totally depending on their ability to meet that water quality," Deleon said.

The city gave the RV resort 18 months to connect to the city's sewer system or find a suitable alternative.

"This is going to be the third time I renew the permit with DEP. This plant has been in existence for 15 years; I've had it for 10. I'm in compliance...the engineers need to put their heads together and find the problem because it's not our plant," said Ed Hudson, the RV park's owner.

This isn't the first time a city in Highlands County has had to forcefully close a developer's wastewater treatment plant.

In September 2009, Thunderbird Hills, an RV park in Sebring, was forced to close its wastewater facility and connect to city sewer after residents complained about a foul odor.

Thunderbird Hills' facility operated without a DEP permit for six years before it was shut down.

In order for Lake Glenada to receive its renewed permit with DEP, which expires May 5, it needs to provide DEP with a letter from the city that states the city will accept its effluent discharge.

City council unanimously voted against it after compliance issues from previous DEP investigations were presented during the February meeting.

The violations consist of incomplete records and reports and clogged or broken air diffusers, stated a May 2005 DEP inspection.

In March 2008, the DEP reported that a random grab sample of total suspended solids in the effluent taken in Feb. 2007 had more than 10 times the limit. This indicates that solids, which typically settle and are later collected as sludge, were present in the effluent.

During that same inspection another grab sample found fecal coliform too numerous to count and there was "strong sewage odor" emanating from the plant, stated the DEP report.

Lake Glenada's wastewater plant operator could not be reached by press time.

The city also plans to close another subdivision, Valencia Acres', wastewater facility and connect those residents to the city's sewer.

C & H Utilities operates the wastewater plant for Valencia Acres and the community owns its own percolation ponds. C & H Utilities has come to an agreement with the city to close their facility and allow their customers to connect to the city.

The city will gain 93 new accounts, which will generate an additional $35,000 in annual revenue. The city will also make an additional $40,000 when Lake Glenada connects.

Currently, the RV park is paying a reduced rate for its wastewater service, which is master metered and capped at 15,000 gallons.

Hudson said if the city wanted to change things they should have done it before he purchased the RV resort in 2000.

If he connects to the city's sewer system, his water and sewer bill will almost double.

Hudson is not giving up. He thinks the city is already charging him an exuberant amount for his water bill.

"I'm going to hire the best attorney and fight this," Hudson said.