Based on the local and regional water supply needs of Polk County’s communities, the member governments knew that planning to meet those needs and protect Polk County’s precious water resources needed to be a collective and collaborative process. The PRWC assures fair representation in the decision-making process while also representing the regional water supply needs of Polk County with a single voice.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is the project’s largest funding partner, having committed over $200 million to the project so far. The PRWC has also been successful in securing over $10 million in state funding grants for this regional project. Low-interest state revolving funds and federal WIFIA loans will also be used to help finance the project and give members time to generate future revenue for repayment of the project loans.

For those PRWC member government utilities that elect to receive water from PRWC, it is anticipated that drinking water rates will increase in order to pay for the cost to construct and operate the PRWC water treatment and supply system. The individual utilities will make the determination any changes to their customer drinking water rates.  

Using reverse osmosis as the treatment method, PRWC will produce high-quality, great tasting drinking water that is as good or better than bottled water purchased at the grocery store. Water supplied by PRWC will have no negative effect on the taste, smell, or pressure of the water currently enjoyed from water utility providers and private wells. In all cases, the quality of drinking water supplied by PRWC will be equal to or higher than the water supplied by partner utilities.

Where acquisition is necessary, the PRWC will collaborate with property owners to buy easements. The purpose of an easement is to allow the PRWC to install below-ground transmission infrastructure and preserve its ability to maintain that infrastructure. After installation is complete, property owners can continue most uses of their property. When needed, the typical easement will be 30 to 40 feet from the roadway right of way and within building setbacks.

After easements are purchased and pipeline construction is complete, homeowners will be allowed to drive, park, make certain landscaping improvements to, and install fencing on the easement. However, homeowners will not be allowed to build structures on the easement that limit the PRWC’s ability to operate and maintain the pipeline.

The amount of time will vary but generally property owners can expect construction activities to take 30 days to 6 months to complete, depending on the schedule and site conditions. While work is underway, the contractor will ensure that the property is accessible to owners and coordinate with the U.S. Postal Service and waste collection services to avoid interruptions of those services.

Construction activities will generally occur Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. but extended hours and/or weekend workdays may be necessary on occasion.

After construction is finished, PRWC will restore the area to its pre-construction condition by replacing most things like fencing, landscaping, sidewalks, and driveways. Large trees and any structure that would limit PRWC’s ability to access and maintain the below-ground infrastructure within the pipeline utility easement cannot be replaced by either PRWC or the property owner. 

The PRWC is responsible for maintaining its water supply pipelines throughout Polk County.

Initially, property owners affected by the pipe route will be notified of the proposed impact on their property in a certified letter from the PRWC acquisition team. This notification will contain information and visual aids to explain what PRWC proposes to acquire and the name of a contact person to answer questions.

Prior to making an offer to purchase the portion of property needed, a PRWC real estate appraiser will contact the property owner to arrange an onsite property inspection as part of the appraisal process. PRWC encourages property owners to be present during the inspection and provide the appraiser with any information that might affect the property’s appraised value. Property owners have the right to hire an independent appraiser and can share the results with PRWC during the negotiation process. PRWC will reimburse the property owner for reasonable costs related to hiring another appraiser or other experts.

After the appraisal is reviewed and accepted by PRWC, authorization will be given to the PRWC acquisition team to present the homeowner with an offer to purchase an easement for the portion of property needed. This offer will be made in person or by certified mail and will not be less than the amount determined to be the fair market value of the property.

The negotiation process begins after the property owner reviews the offer, which they can accept, or present a counteroffer to PRWC. If a counteroffer is proposed, PRWC will consider that offer then negotiate with the property owner to develop a mutually agreeable purchase price.

If both parties are unable to reach an agreeable purchase price, PRWC may choose to file a condemnation action which will not occur less than 30 days from the date they make their initial written offer to purchase. However, the PRWC acquisition team will continue to negotiate with the homeowner and any representative throughout the process to try and resolve the difference. If a homeowner chooses to be represented by an attorney licensed to practice law in Florida, they will be reimbursed for reasonable fees paid to the attorney, as outlined by Florida statute.

Both the proposed Southeast and West Polk Wellfield and Water Supply Facilities will withdraw water from the Lower Floridan Aquifer, which will not affect the water tables for local bodies of water. In fact, as utilities depend less on water from the Upper Floridan Aquifer, water levels in lakes and rivers will return closer to their natural levels. Also, drawing water from the Lower Floridan Aquifer does not contribute to the development of sinkholes caused by lower water tables in the Upper Floridan Aquifer.

Although PRWC may supply water to your current utility to meet future needs, you will continue to receive water from your existing utility or well to the extent you are permitted. If you use a local water utility that’s part of the PRWC partnership, you can feel more confident that you will have access to great tasting drinking water for years to come.

This project taps into the historically underutilized Lower Floridan Aquifer and will not affect local bodies of water or private/permitted wells dependent on the Upper Floridan Aquifer.

The Polk Regional Water Cooperative (PRWC) does not determine or enforce the need for water restrictions. Water Restrictions in much of Polk County are established by the Southwest Florida Water Management District or by local water utilities. Information on current water conservation restrictions can be found at www.swfwmd.state.fl.us. Other information on Polk County water conservation tips and rebate programs can be found at www.savepolkwater.org or the PRWC website at www.PRWCwater.org.