NAPLES – The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) plans to expand more storage and water treatment north of Lake Okeechobee.

At the May 11 meeting of the SFWMD Governing Board, Director of Ecosystem Restoration and Capital Projects Jennifer Reynolds was excited to share news about the potential to add more water storage and treatment north of Lake Okeechobee.

“Last year, the board agreed for the staff to negotiate with an entity on the Lower Kissimmee Basin Stormwater Treatment Area (LKBSTA),” said Reynolds.

“Since that time and during the negotiations on this project, and as EIP was working with us to design this project, an opportunity arose,” to expand the project, she explained.

The expansion will increase the storage from 5,200 acre feet to 9,600 acre feet. This will increase the phosphorus reduction from 12-15 metric tons per year to 18 to 24 metric tons.

 She said they anticipate construction beginning in the next year.

The project will come back to the board for approval when the final cost is determined.

“We are acquiring the land, designing it, constructing it and operating it in conjunction with the provider,” she explained.

The project will cover 3,800 acres on the east side of the Kissimmee River,  south of SR 70 in Okeechobee County.

“Eventually the land will be the district’s and we will operate it, but they will have to prove the project delivers the results or they will have to make modifications to deliver the results,” Reynolds said.