As a City Commissioner, I pay close attention to projects that affect our local water quality, especially when they involve the lakes and waterways connected to our own community. That is why I want to share an update from this week’s Board of County Commissioners meeting.
On July 14, the Board approved a new Innovative Technology Grant agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for the Lake Jesup Passive Nutrient Reduction Pilot Project. The Board also authorized a budget amendment appropriating $415,600 in grant funding through the Environmental Services Grant Fund to support the work.
The project targets Salt Creek, a tributary that discharges into Lake Jesup. Salt Creek has been identified as a source of nutrient loading into the lake, and this pilot program is designed to reduce that impact before the water reaches Lake Jesup.
The approach uses a passive filtration technology called EutroSORB F. These filters contain a phosphorus binding media that removes soluble reactive phosphorus directly from flowing water. The filters are deployed in a staggered pattern across the width of the creek, and continuous water quality monitoring will track how well the system is performing over time.
This kind of low impact, targeted infrastructure is a smart use of grant funding. It addresses a real source of nutrient pollution without requiring large scale construction, and it gives the county measurable data on results as the pilot moves forward.
I will continue to follow this project as it develops. You can read the full agenda item and attached agreement documents on the county’s Legistar site.
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