Reduce the number of impaired water bodies

The City is committed to reducing nutrients discharged into our surface waters, as these are essential to our quality of life and protecting the environment. The City has three regional drainage basins, each with their respective lakes as the primary water receiver: Lakes Jackson, Lafayette, and Munson. These lakes present unique water quality challenges, and for more than 40 years the City has been committed to addressing water quality concerns. By the early 1980s, treated wastewater was no longer discharged to Lake Munson. In 1986, the City constructed the first aluminum-sulfate stormwater treatment system in Florida at Lake Ella. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the City committed to large regional stormwater treatment facilities such as Carter-Howell Strong Park and Lake Elberta. Most recently, the City has constructed major projects along Megginnis Arm, Boone Boulevard, the Lower Central Drainage Ditch and the Upper Lake Lafayette Nutrient Reduction Facility (ULL-NURF).

In addition to these stormwater treatment facilities, the City continues to provide public education through its award-winning Think About Personal Pollution (TAPP) program. These efforts, along with those of our local partners [1], have led to continuously improved water quality over the years. For example, since 1974 the concentrations of Nitrogen and Phosphorus discharged into Lake Munson from Munson Slough has been reduced by 81%. Additionally, the ULL-NURF, which began operation in 2015, has documented impressive treatment efficiencies.

In 2022, the City reduced the number of impaired water bodies, including Lake Munson, from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (FDEP) impaired list through robust testing and rehabilitation efforts. Additionally, the City surpassed all water quality regulations established by FDEP, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Florida Department of Health. Also in 2022, the City constructed a new, best-in-region Water Quality Laboratory, completed the 20-year Wastewater Treatment Master Plan, and is continuing to develop the Stormwater Improvement Master Plan to assist with the identification of future water quality improvement projects. These efforts put the City in a position to continue improving the quality of water within our local water resources.

1. Leon County, Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the Northwest Florida Water Management District. 

Underground Utilities & Public Infrastructure. Last Updated: November 2022