Surfside

Cleansing Surfside

Town to build $1.7 million pump stations

By Claudio Mendonca

The town of Surside is giving its residents a holiday gift that will lower the levels of flood waters and pollution in their community.

In approximately two years, the waterfront community will have three state-of-the-art, ecologically friendly pump stations, paid for with state grants and town funds.

Surfside will match the $873,500 it receives from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s TMDL Restoration Fund. The grant amount equals 10 percent of the town’s annual budget.

The total cost of pumps and the cleansing system is estimated to be in the neighborhood of $1.7 million.

“In the past, there were always ‘inequities’ in comparison to neighboring cities when it came to receiving grants from Tallahassee,” Surfside Vice Mayor Howard Weinberg said. “We were paying our taxes to the state, but money rarely came back to Surfside.”

Weinberg said that situation is changing thanks to the town’s aggressive lobbying efforts in the state capital and in Washington, D.C. The vice mayor mentioned that the work of Melbourne Beach-based grant writer Cape Canaveral Scientific Inc. has been instrumental in the town receiving grant monies.

The town also works closely with U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-18th District), who has an office in the Surfside Town Hall, in the quest for federal funds.

“Surfside is on its way to becoming the model green community for the entire state of Florida,” Weinberg said.

The three pump stations, which will be adjacent to Biscayne Bay, should be operational within two years. Once completed, the system will treat storm water runoff to produce cleaner bay water, reduce flooding and improve other storm water system elements. The system will pump excess storm water into a 100-foot-deep drainage well, and flapper gates will curb Biscayne Bay water from flowing into the streets during storms.

Amy Adams, the principal of Cape Canaveral Scientific Inc., pointed out that Surfside is a progressive community and a model for all of Florida. She said that for each dollar Surfside spent with her company, the town was receiving $100 in return.

“There are some competitive funding sources out there, such as the South Florida Water Management District storm water programs,” Adams said.

In order to receive grants for additional funding, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mandates that a community clean storm water runoff. To leverage other funds, cities must have long-term capital improvement plans and develop active public education and involvement programs.

City Manager W.D. Higginbotham Jr., who has been the town manager since December 2005, said the town has been very active so it can obtain those funds.

“We don’t want a handout,” he said. “The state likes to see a community participating.”

Comments? E-mail letters@miamisunpost.com

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