The Public Works Department is developing an application for the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) Community Development Block Grant-Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) Rebuild Florida General Infrastructure Program for the Alternative Water Supply Phase 1 project. The Rebuild Florida Mitigation General Infrastructure Program is designed to provide funding opportunities for local governments and state agencies to develop large-scale mitigation activities that allow Florida communities to better withstand future disasters. With a total allocation of $475,000,000, the Rebuild Florida Mitigation General Infrastructure Program will be implemented in three competitive application cycles, with $150 million in funding available in the first round.

Public Works is requesting authorization to apply for approximately $11,688,750.00 in funding, matched with a recently awarded $1,000,000.00 State Appropriation. The Alternative Water Supply project is a proactive plan to phase in reverse osmosis water treatment utilizing the Floridan Aquifer System as an alternative water source. The awarded grant funding would be utilized for modification to the existing deep injection well IW-2, construction of the wellhead and pipelines, and construction of the membrane water treatment plant.