Many of you are familiar with the county’s West Wastewater Treatment Facility, also known as the “Vero Wetlands” or the “8th Street Wetlands.” The treatment ponds and levee system was once a spectacular birding/recreation site before the lack of upkeep degraded it. It was used daily by residents who have no other recreation area in the western part of the county. As a stop on the Great Florida Birding Trail, the wetlands also attracted visitors from all over Florida and from outside the state. Unfortunately, the ponds are now overgrown with cattails and bulrushes and are often dry. From I-95 on the western border, the facility looks like a cattail farm! The levee trails are often unmowed and harbor large fire-ant nests. It would take little effort and expense by the county to restore and maintain the area as a multi-use facility to both clean wastewater, provide wildlife habitat and offer a recreational greenspace for residents and tourists alike.
The County Utility Department is developing an Integrated Water Master Plan and invites comments from the public. This plan will look at the future needs of our drinking water, wastewater, and reuse systems and set the course for the next 20 years. There is an opportunity to comment on the plan by “Enter the Online Meeting” then pressing the button on the top right of the webpage – https://ircutilitiesmeeting.com/ to comment.
This is our chance to have input on restoring the Vero Wetlands. Florida wastewater wetlands in other counties around Florida where multi-use operations have become enormous drivers of tourism and economic benefits. Examples are Wakodahatchee and Green Cay Wetlands in Palm Beach County, Sweetwater Wetlands in Alachua County and Celery Fields in Sarasota County. For some reason our County has not seized the opportunity to utilize this site for similar touristic and economic purposes. Please take this opportunity to express your wishes to our County Commissioners and the Utility Department.
Article by William Loftus, Ph.D.
Photos by Becky Loftus.