Sarasota Livin'

Neighborhood Meeting -- Proposed New Wastewater Lift Station
Located Adjacent to the Former Sarasota High School
Date: Friday, September 15, 2006
Time: 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Location: Waldemere Fire Station No. 2, 2nd Floor Training Room, 2070 Waldemere Street

The City of Sarasota’s wastewater Lift Station No. 7 is located within a residential pocket park on Pomelo Ave. The station pumps wastewater collected from the southern section of the City directly to the Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant located on 12th Street.

The lift station experienced mechanical malfunctions in February 2004 and 2005, which raised questions regarding the appropriateness of its location within a residential neighborhood with limited access and no additional area available to expand to upgrade the station.

During December 2005, the City Commission approved a contract with Malcolm Pirnie, an environmental engineering firm, to study alternatives for relocating or reducing the flow to Lift Station No. 7. As a result of this study, they recommended that an upgraded lift station with increased capacity and state-of-the-art backup equipment, monitoring systems, and odor control devices, be built to replace Lift Station No. 7.

It was also determined that the appropriate site for a new lift station would have easy access and be within a commercial area shielded from neighborhoods. Given these criteria and the limited number of available sites, the City met with Sarasota School District staff to discuss the option of building a new lift station adjacent to the former Sarasota High School.

Interlocal Agreement:
The City and School District staffs have created an interlocal agreement for the District to provide the City ownership of property to place a new lift station and to ensure full cooperation between the agencies to build the station. At this time the City is soliciting an engineering firm to design the station and necessary infrastructure.

The interlocal agreement is scheduled to be presented to the School Board for their consideration on September 19, 2006 and if approved, it will then be presented to the City Commission for their consideration on October 16, 2006.

Neighborhood Meeting:
The City of Sarasota Public Works staff will host a neighborhood meeting to discuss the proposed wastewater lift station. Representatives from the Sarasota School District staff and the Sarasota County Health Department will also be attending.

For more information contact Pam Keyes at the Utilities Division at 941/955-2325.