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Water Main Connection/Well Abandonment Information
Introduction
The Village of Palmetto Bay is largely serviced by Miami-Dade County's portable water service. However, there are currently 7 areas within the Village boundaries that are currently on private well water. In those areas, connection to the county's water service is not currently possible. In order to connect to the county's system, a water main extension has to be built. While there are residents who are interested in connecting to the county water services, others prefer to remain on their existing private well water.
On July 19, 2022, Mayor Cunningham sponsored Resolution No. 2022-71, which was adopted by the Village Council, directing the Village Manager to conduct a survey among those residents who remain on private wells to determine whether it is appropriate for the Village to provide water main extensions and service connections in conjunction with the Miami Dade Water & Sewer Department.
Please read the Frequently Asked Questions below to learn more about the process, requirements and costs of the potable water connection and take the two-minute survey linked at the bottom of the page to let us know whether you are interested in the service connection.
IMPORTANT: THIS SURVEY IS ONLY FOR RESIDENTS WHO OWN PROPERTY ABUTTING THE AFFECTED AREAS. Door hangers have been distributed to affected residents to take the survey. We appreciate your time and feedback!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is being considered?
The Village of Palmetto Bay is considering whether we should take a developer role, in conjunction with Miami Dade Water & Sewer Department (MDWASD), to provide water main extensions and service connections to properties within the Village in 7 pocket areas, which are presently lacking existing water mains abutting or available to the properties.
How would the process work and what would be the expected timeline?
The Village of Palmetto Bay would hire an engineering consultant to prepare the contractual documents with MDWASD, survey the public right-of-ways (ROW) within the affected neighborhoods, complete design plans, and permit the design plans for the water main extensions. Next, the Village would solicit bids and award a construction contract for the installation of the water main lines, water service to the ROW or property line and the restoration of the areas.
The design process is expected to take between 6 and 9 months. Construction should be completed within 12 months following the award of the contract.
What are the homeowner's responsibilities and costs?
Once the water main construction has been completed and the infrastructure has been accepted by MDWASD, the homeowner has up to 90 calendar days to abandon their well and connect to the newly provided water service. All costs associated with the property connection would be borne by the homeowner.
On average, connection costs and fees are estimated to range between $6,000 and $15,000, depending on the complexity of the work required. Costs would include well abandonment, new water service from the property line to the home, site restoration within the private property, and fees from MDWASD and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. In addition, homeowners with the new water service will have to pay monthly water bills to MDWASD for water consumption.
Is there a process to request a time extension on the connection requirement?
Homeowners can request an extension of the 90-day connection period individually, or the Village as a whole, could request a board meeting to plead a case explaining why additional time beyond the required 90 days should be granted. However, there are no guarantees that the extension request would be approved.
What happens after the survey has been completed?
The one-question, resident survey will be open for a specified period of time as indicated below. Once completed, the results will be gathered and will be presented to the Village Council during the Regular Council meeting in October 2022. During the meeting, the Village Council will determine whether the Village should move forward to design and build the water main.
THE SURVEY IS CLOSED AS OF TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2022. HOWEVER, A COMMUNITY MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2023 TO DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT FOR THE WELL WATER ABANDONMENT PROGRAM. PLEASE SCROLL UP FOR A LINK TO THE MEETING INFORMATION.
REMINDER: THIS SURVEY IS ONLY FOR RESIDENTS WHO OWN PROPERTY ABUTTING THE PRIVATE WELL AREAS. CLICK HERE FOR A LISTING OF THE AREAS AND CORRESPONDING LOCATION MAPS.
Community Meeting
A community meeting was held on February 16, 2023 at 7 pm to determine the level of support for a well water abandonment program. During the meeting, residents had the opportunity to voice their concerns and vote in favor or opposition to the well water abandonment program. If you missed the meeting, you can watch it online by clicking here.