Lots of the nitrates and phosphorus in the local canals are leaching from drain fields and old septic tanks. City hired a company to do test drillings and analysis, the runoff pollution was quite significant. The area in question has a few hundred homes, and was built forty or fifty years ago. Septic tanks were a 55 gallon drum and some cinder blocks maybe 25 feet from the canals, not much else. That was legal then.
Using the documentation, the city got $5.5 million to install sewers in that area. Residents still have to pay for hookup (although there may be grants available) and removal of the old septic tanks.
We really didn't have much choice. State sent an unfunded mandate that everyone east of US-1 had to connect to sewers sooner or later, with a lot of pressure on "sooner".
What I found encouraging was that pretty much everyone affected agreed that yes, this was a problem, the canals were really filthy, and yes, we're gonna have to pay to fix it because it is big time nasty out there. Nobody is overjoyed about the impending expense, but they understand it has to be done.
Best Regards,
Mike/Florida