POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Polk County is facing a septic waste crisis. About 300,000 homes and businesses use septic tanks.
“Polk County is growing astronomically so we need to be prepared as its citizens to take care of our waste,” said Roxanne Groover, executive director of Florida Onsite Wastewater Association.
BS Ranch & Farm Inc., the only facility in Polk County that disposes of human waste has shut down. Now haulers have nowhere nearby to get rid of septage. It’s a problem haulers said they warned county leaders would happen.
“Well, we were here a year ago. We said this day was going to come. Here it is,” said Jeff Mann, owner of Mann Septic.
On Tuesday, Mann and several other septage haulers demonstrated outside the County Administration Building and went before the Board of County Commissioners to voice their concerns.
“I’ve been dealing with it for over 15 years trying to get a permanent resolution to how we’re going to dispose and treat our waste, once we pump it out,” said Mann.
Mann said after haulers pump out a homeowner's septic tank, they now have to travel to facilities in Tampa and Avon Park. The cost of fuel and paying drivers for time spent on the road, means homeowners will see prices go up. Instead of paying $350 it will now be $600 to have their septic tank pumped out.
“Ms. Ellie down the street cannot pay $600 to get her tank pumped. I had a lady scowler the other day, that she can’t afford it. I said, ma’am I surely understand,” Mann said.
The travel distance also reduces the number of customers haulers can service each day. Many haulers and contractors fear they will go out of business.
“You’re not just impacting the homeowner that needs to pump out their tank. You're impacting a family that could have children and bills, and you shut down their livelihood,” Groover said.
Commissioners are planning to build a county-operated waste-processing facility where the haulers could bring their septage. It is not set to open until 2026. Haulers said county leaders need to create an emergency management plan in the interim.
“Find a workable solution that we can do, whether it be truck to truck transfers or the County helps haul some of this sludge out to other places,” Mann said.
Investigative Reporter Katie LaGrone obtained the most recent batch of Florida teacher exit interviews which detail, in their own words, why teachers left the classroom this summer.
