Our North Florida market is growing at a rapid pace. Americans are flocking to the Sunshine State for a variety of reasons, but what is plainly clear to everyone in the utilities industry is the strain that quick growth and development puts on our infrastructure.
Florida Influx
Currently, it’s estimated that 845 people are moving to Florida every day, and that trend is expected to continue for the next three years.
While not all 845 are coming to Northeast Florida, a sizable portion is choosing the largest city in the U.S. (by land area): Jacksonville. Duval and St. Johns counties are two of the highest-destination counties in the state, and are racing to maintain utilities to match the influx of new residents.
With an average daily usage of 50 gallons of wastewater per resident, the Jacksonville market needs to prepare for an increase of 2,000,000 additional gallons of wastewater, every year, for the next three years. That’s a lot of sewage that needs to be treated, and with the low-lying areas of Florida, that means new and rehabbed lift stations will be required.
Lift Station Essentials
A lift Station is basically a large wet well, with two alternating pumps that communicate with an electronic control panel. Commercial waste flows into these lift stations and is pumped (lifted) against gravity or head pressure to the sewer or other destinations. It is critical to maintain these lift stations in proper condition to avoid Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSO).
Wind River Environmental is a leading provider for the maintenance, installation, rehabilitation, and emergency servicing of these lift stations. By code, they are required to inspect them monthly and provide a deep cleaning every 6 months, as mandated by the Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board (JEPB). For over 30 years, Wind River has provided service for these lift stations in Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra, St. Augustine, Orange Park, Jax Beach, and other surrounding areas.
Wind River Expertise
When Wind River Environmental acquired the business in 2017, the company pivoted from a primary focus on maintenance to add the complementary service of lift station installations (or lift stations rehabs, depending on the need).
With experts like Mike Small, Rousseau Celestin, and James Conner, who holds the team’s plumbing, septic and other Licenses, Wind River has been extremely successful in supporting the growth of the Jacksonville area. Wind River has done their part to ensure wastewater can be properly treated and managed to avoid SSOs and other environmental impacts. We’ve also partnered with several local engineering firms that specialize in wastewater and underground utilities. These partnerships were immediately fruitful, as those firms experienced the professional planning, construction, and performance that the Wind River team consistently provides.
Looking Ahead
As the North Florida area—which includes towns and counties like Duval, St. Johns, Clay, Nassau, Baker, Alachua, and Bradford—explodes with growth, the continuation of service to our utilities, the health of the residents, and the fundamental infrastructure required in a burgeoning community can only be achieved through professional services performed in a safe and effective manner by experienced technicians. Wind River is proud to be that provider.
