MONTVERDE, Fla. – In our WKMG Hits the Road series, we asked viewers what they would like to see us focus on in the Montverde, 34756 ZIP code.
We received a message that came to our “in your neighborhood” portal.
Jason wrote: “Talk about the sewer system that the city is trying to force on its residents and taking down people’s trees.”
Some homeowners have concerns and questions about a new sewer system that is in the works for the town of Montverde.
In many ways, Montverde is picture-perfect, a smaller town with a slower pace. Homeowners like Tracy Gregg, who has lived here for 20 years, want to keep it that way.
“That’s kind of what we love about Montverde. We love the little, small-town feel,” Gregg told News 6.
Montverde has no sewer system.
The town of 1,600 has more than 700 septic tanks, according to town leaders.
The state is trying to move away from septic systems because septic tanks impact water quality.
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Town leaders say water quality in Lake Florence in Montverde is already impaired.
Paul Larino is the town manager and said the nudge to a central sewer is coming from the state Department of Environmental Protection.
“How do we improve water quality to our aquifers to our lakes? One of those ways is through a sanitary sewer system.” Larino said. “They have mandated towns start exploring and coming up with plans to eventually get residents hooked on to the sewer system to improve the water quality.”
Montverde has received nearly $30 million in grants to create this central sewer, which means the connection to the sewer is free to homeowners and connection is voluntary, but it will come with an estimated fee of about $45 to $48 per month.
“I know people have strong opinions of it. They like their septic system and want to continue with that,” Gregg said.
Town leaders have had the whole town surveyed as part of the planning for the new system, so you see flags on the ground and orange dots on lots of trees.
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Some thought it meant those trees would be removed to make way for the sewer system, but Larino says that’s not true.
“We love our trees in Montverde. Our goal is to try to protect as many trees as we can as we go through this process,” Larino said.
Gregg said she is in favor of the sewer system but worries about more people moving to Montverde and losing that small-town feel.
“I go back and forth,” she said. “Because it really is a small-town feel. It’s really a beautiful place to be.”
Larino says the goal is to break ground on the new system in 2025 and have it completed by 2026.
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