JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2014 A Jacksonville neighborhood is relieved to see progress on JEA\u2019s septic tank phase-out project. <\/p>\n
Areas around Christobel are starting to see the pre-construction phase ramp up. The phase-out project received millions of dollars a decade ago and has made progress in several areas across the city.<\/p>\n
Along with the transition from septic tanks to city sewage, residents will also see road improvements. It\u2019s something residents say they\u2019ve needed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is like a long-term promise being fulfilled,\u201d said Jacqueline Rhodes, a resident who lives in the neighborhood.<\/p>\n
Jacqueline Rhodes has lived on Gainesville Avenue on and off since 1980. She says when it pours rain, her septic tank can be a huge issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we have a hurricane, and we go out of power, well, the water fills up our septic tanks, and then we have backed up… even if it\u2019s not sewage, clear water will back up in the house,\u201d Rhodes said.<\/p>\n
She\u2019s now seeing bulldozers, dirt, and detours in her neighborhood.<\/p>\n
\u201c1965…1966, the city of Jacksonville consolidated with the outside and once that consolidation process happened, it was some things that were supposed to happen to the inner city and some got some of the promises but most of the promises were not fulfilled,\u201d Rhodes said.<\/p>\n
In 2016, the city of Jacksonville and JEA invested more than 30 million dollars for the program. Neighborhood by neighborhood, they\u2019ve been able to make progress. A JEA spokesperson says Jacqueline\u2019s neighborhood is considered critical.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reason that they\u2019re phasing these particular septic tanks out is because they\u2019ve ranked them as some of the highest in terms of failing septic tanks in Jacksonville,\u201d said Jimmy Orth, the Executive Director for St. Johns Riverkeeper.<\/p>\n
He says the program is necessary to improve the water quality of the St. Johns River.<\/p>\n
“<\/b>Unfortunately, most of our tributaries that flow into the St. Johns in Duval County are impaired, meaning that they\u2019re polluted too high; the levels of fecal coliform bacterium are too high. And so, this is one of the efforts to try to clean that up,” Orth said.<\/p>\n
He says it\u2019s crucial that the city continues to appropriate funding.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese projects are so expensive. Right now, the last I checked with JEA, this project is costing on average about $60,000 to $70,000 per household to phase out septic tanks. So we\u2019re talking about literally a billion-dollar problem,\u201d Orth said.<\/p>\n
A JEA spokesperson told Action News Jax the Riverview neighborhood has met the 70% participation requirement. They\u2019re now entering the planning phase of the project there.<\/p>\n
They provided this link for residents to keep themselves updated on the progress and history of the project: Septic Tank Phase Out Program<\/a>.<\/p>\n >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n [DOWNLOAD: <\/b>Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks<\/b><\/a>]<\/b><\/p>\n