Call to Action: Please sign the Marine Resources Council Petition (click here) and join us at the Indian River County Board of County Commissioners meeting Tuesday, April 23, 2019 at 9am.
The Board of the Clean Water Coalition of Indian River County, Inc. (CWC) has carefully examined the proposal by John’s Island Water Management Company to drill under the Indian River Lagoon, install and operate a reuse water pipeline under agreement with the Indian River County Department of Utility Services (IRCDUS).
CWC offers the following statement in opposition to the proposal:
The Clean Water Coalition of Indian River County (CWC) is opposed to any official action or approval relative to the proposal by John’s Island Water Management (JIWM) that would allow the construction or placement of a reuse water supply pipeline under the Indian River Lagoon until (1) a complete and thorough Environmental Impact study can be completed and (2) the study be approved by regulatory authorities, and (3) that the feasibility of an alternate routing of supply is thoroughly studied and considered."
The County already has two such pipes strapped onto the Wabasso Bridge that currently carry this water to the barrier island and then down A1A. And, John’s Island already has a private irrigation pipe strapped onto the Wabasso Bridge which could carry this wastewater effluent to its community.
This proposal represents an environmental risk to our Lagoon both in its construction and operation due to drilling fluid escape risk and long-term wastewater effluent leakage risk into the Lagoon. These risks can readily be avoided by connecting to infrastructure that is already in place.
For more information, please look at the informative discussion of the issue found in a letter from CWC President Paul Fafeita to the Editor of the Indian River Press Journal on February 18, 2019 (please click here) entitled No John’s Island wastewater effluent pipe in the lagoon.
The Indian River County Board of County Commissioners is to take up the matter on Tuesday, April 23, 2019 at 9am.
We encourage all CWC Partners, interested parties, and the concerned public to attend this important meeting and let our elected officials know that we oppose this project in its present form.