County Chairman and Tallahassee Mayor Call for Southside Septic-to-Sewer Improvements

Earlier today, Leon County Commission Chairman Bill Proctor and City of Tallahassee Mayor John E. Dailey joined together in support of Southside septic-to-sewer improvements within the unincorporated area.

"Today, the Mayor and I are calling for our community's leaders to take decisive action and support our Southside communities by bringing essential sewer service to hundreds of homes," said Leon County Commission Chairman Bill Proctor.

Specifically, Chairman Proctor expressed his support of the County's ongoing and future commitment to pursue grants and other funding to pay for sewer hook-ups and septic abandonment. Mayor Dailey pledged his full support of the City investing in the construction of water and sewer utilities to support more homes and businesses on the Southside.

“As Mayor, I’m proud to join with Commissioner Proctor in calling for more investment in the Southside,” said Mayor Dailey. “We launched the Southside Action Plan to ensure a high quality of life, and as part of this plan, I’m committed to investing more than $10,000,000 to provide sewer connectivity to homes and businesses in our community’s Southside. Working together, I’m confident we can make this happen.”

At the press event, the Chairman and the Mayor discussed how potential future improvements will expand service to hundreds of homes in a triangular area bounded by Woodville Highway, Crawfordville Road and Capital Circle SW.

Both officials said they would call upon their respective commissions to take immediate action.

In addition to the potential future improvements discussed at the event, Leon County Government and the City of Tallahassee have made continuous multi-year, multi-million-dollar commitments to improving water quality in the Southside.

To protect water quality, Leon County has committed almost $60 million in County, State and Federal funds, which will provide sewer to nearly 1,500 properties currently served by septic tanks in south Leon County, specifically in the Primary Springs Protection Zone.

Project areas include Woodside Heights, Belair and Annawood subdivisions; Northeast Lake Munson; and the Woodville Community. To find if your property is eligible for assistance, visit LeonCountyFL.gov/PrimarySpringsGISMap.

The County will pay the costs for residents connecting to the new sewer system and abandoning septic tanks during the timeframe of the septic-to-sewer project. Such unprecedented payments provide critical assistance to areas not historically provided service. Residents wanting more information on all the County’s efforts to protect water quality should visit www.LeonCountyWater.org, the County's one-stop-shop for water resources in Leon County.

The City initiated the Southside Action Plan (SAP) to improve amenities, services and quality of life within the Southside community. Through intensive community engagement, citizens who live, work, learn and worship on the Southside have shared their priorities to help set the course of action to further support neighborhoods and residents in the area. A variety of projects have recently been completed or are now under construction that help reduce localized flooding, increase mobility and create more recreational opportunities. To learn more about progress and details for many of those projects, visit Talgov.com/projects.  

For more information, contact Rayshell Holmes, Leon County Commission Aide, at (850) 606-5300 or HolmesR@LeonCountyFL.gov.

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