By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

            A group of public officials will meet in Bronson Wednesday morning to find out if Levy County has any interest in joining a cooperative that potentially could build one of the largest public works projects in county history.

            Officials from county government are being asked by Otter Creek, Bronson, and Cedar Key to join the Waccasassa Water and Wastewater Cooperative that would pump well water and process wastewater for all three cities.

            The Levy County Commission has made no formal commitment to the project with a Dec. 15 deadline looming to file for a Florida grant that would potentially fund the estimated $100 million project.

            The subject of the meeting was announced at Monday’s Bronson Town Council meeting.

            Officials from all three cities are hoping to get a commitment from the county to assure them of participation in the grant application when it is filed in Tallahassee, but some county officials have questions about the project.

            County officials expected to participate in the 11 a.m. meeting at the Dogan Cobb Municipal Building in Bronson include County Attorney Nicolle Shalley, County Engineer Andrew Carswell, and County Finance Director Jared Blanton. County Commissioner John Meeks has been involved in discussions from the onset of the project and is likely to attend.

            Cedar Key Mayor Heath Davis, Otter Creek Mayor Russell Meeks, Sr., and Bronson Mayor Robert Partin have been part of the working group that has stitched together the concept of a cooperative.

            Bronson Town Manager Susan Beaudet said the cities feel the county’s participation in the project is essential because the water and sewer lines would pass through Sumner and Rosewood along State Road 24 in the unincorporated areas of the county along the pipeline route. City officials think there is a possibility Rosewood and Sumner could be served by the system.

            Cedar Key and Otter Creek already operate their own drinking water and wastewater systems but their water quality is poor and they would like to tap into a good-quality water supply in the Bronson area.

            State officials have endorsed the idea of relocating Cedar Key’s sewer treatment plant off the island to avoid the possibility of a catastrophic spill in the event the island ever gets hit with a major hurricane.

            The current plan is for the cooperative to pipe water from a wellfield in the Bronson area to Bronson, Otter Creek, and Cedar Key. The wastewater from all three cities would be treated at a wastewater facility somewhere along the route.

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Town of Bronson Regular Meeting November 28, 2022; Posted November 28, 2022