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The City of Palm Bay Utilities Department is seeking for its City Council to pass an ordinance requiring all properties that have a line available to hook up to centralized water and sewer.

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According to the city’s utilities department, it incurred the cost to install existing infrastructure and still has cover the cost to maintain it regardless of usage.

The ordinance is going through its first reading Thursday night and in part it said all developed property within the sewer service area has to connect to a sewer utility within 365 days of the final notice. Failure to do so could result in fines.

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In an interview, State Representative Randy Fine says that it is already state law for residents to connect to sewer lines where available. However, the City has simply not been enforcing the law.

He went on to say that there is no law requiring property owners to connect to city water. He see’s this as a positive in the fight to save the Indian River Lagoon and protect the St. Johns River. His proposed bill this legislative session seeking $50,000,000 in grant matching funds for Indian River Lagoon Restoration projects can be applied to the cost of these sewer hookups. His bill is still in the early committee stages but he is optimistic of its passing.

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