Citrus County Receives $3.9 Million in Wastewater Grant Funding

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has announced that
the Citrus County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) will receive $3,981,000 in wastewater
funding as part of the 2022-23 Springs Coast Water Quality Improvement Grant.

The award will be to enhance the Southwest Regional Water Reclamation Facility (SWRWRF) as part of
the Sugarmill Woods Golf Course reuse project. This Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT) facility
was designed and constructed to provide public-access, reuse-quality effluent, but requires
additional improvements to reclaimed water (RCW) storage, pumping, and distribution components be
constructed to provide RCW to users.

Citrus County Water Resources has agreed to provide RCW to the Sugarmill Woods Golf Complex and
Citrus National (formerly Southern Woods) Golf Course upon completion of the SWRWRF. Sugarmill
Woods has agreed to accept a minimum of 0.50 million gallons per day (MGD), up to 1.5 MGD of RCW,
from the County for irrigation. Providing RCW will allow these facilities to stop using their
Floridan Aquifer production wells, providing a significant water-use offset for the area.

This funding will be used to finalize the design, permitting, and construction of the
infrastructure needed to complete this project. Cooperative Funding Initiative (CFI) and County
funds will bring this project over the projected $9.5 million finish line.

“This grant award will assist Citrus County on achieving a top legislative priority for funding,”
said County Administrator Steve Howard. “This is a win for Citrus County, the region, and the State
of Florida.”

For more information on water projects, call Citrus County Water Resources at (352) 527-7650.