St. Johns County scheduled a ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 15 for its $191.8 million State Road 207 Water Reclamation Facility in Elkton, the largest capital improvement project in county history.

The public ceremony was scheduled for 9 a.m. at 3055 State Road 207, with remarks from County Commission Chair Clay Murphy, Utilities Director Neal Shinkre and Jacobs North Florida Vice President Mike Dykes. Facility tours were planned afterward, according to an Oct. 13 county announcement.

The plant has been treating wastewater and producing reclaimed water for irrigation since May 11, according to the county's project page. The ribbon-cutting was intended to formally celebrate the completion of a project extending beyond the treatment facility itself.

New facility expands treatment capacity

The project included the Watson Road Master Wastewater Pump Station, the Tillman Ridge Reclaimed Water Booster Pump Station and approximately 15 miles of wastewater and reclaimed water pipelines ranging from 16 to 30 inches in diameter.

The facility has an initial treatment capacity of 3.25 million gallons per day and can be expanded to 6.5 million gallons per day as demand increases.

County officials estimate the project will prevent more than 1 million pounds of nutrient pollutants, including nitrogen and phosphorus, from entering the Matanzas River over the next 20 years.

The Matanzas River is part of the watershed associated with the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, a protected coastal ecosystem in Northeast Florida.

The facility also supports compliance with Florida's Senate Bill 64, which promotes the beneficial reuse of treated wastewater and limits certain surface-water discharges.

Reclaimed water produced at the plant can be used for irrigation, reducing demand on the Floridan Aquifer, a major source of drinking water in Northeast Florida.

Project funded through utility revenues

The $191.8 million project was funded through the St. Johns County Utility Department's enterprise fund, which is supported by utility revenues rather than property taxes.

Jacobs, a global engineering and professional services firm, delivered the facility through a progressive design-build contract.

Alan Flood, a senior engineer with the county Utilities Department, described the project as a major investment in the county's water infrastructure.

"This facility represents a transformative investment in St. Johns County's future," Flood said in a statement published on the county's project page.

He said the facility would expand reclaimed water capacity, reduce nutrient discharges and help meet future infrastructure needs.

The county's next Board of County Commissioners meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 9 a.m. at the St. Johns County Auditorium, 500 San Sebastian View, St. Augustine.