Newly elected Santa Rosa County Commissioner Dave Piech and County Administrator Dan Schebler joined with leaders from Holley-Navarre Water System (HNWS) for a tour of water and wastewater treatment operations. The tour is an effort to improve communication and outreach with HNWS members and county partners. The tour was facilitated by leaders from several of the water system’s departments including the President of Municipal Engineering Services Phil Phillips, Water Operations Manager Clinton Wells, outgoing General Manager Paul Gardner, Wastewater Treatment Plant Operations Manager Chris Legg and Board President Will Goulet.
The tour lasted two hours and included an overview of the HNWS franchise area followed by site visits to HNWS offices, Well #1, the recently completed Greskovich Rapid Infiltration Basin effluent disposal site and the Pepper Street Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant. HNWS CEO Rob Williamson said, “With a shared wastewater treatment solution on the horizon, we hope today’s visit will help our county leaders gain a better understanding of the meaningful work our employees do every day and the importance of finalizing a shared reuse solution for the peninsula.”
One of the water system’s top priorities is finalizing a plan to increase effluent disposal capacity for our rapidly growing franchise area. CH2MHILL Engineering recently completed a cost study that was presented to the county earlier this year. This updated reuse study provides for the construction of a new RIB site on property leased from Eglin AFB in partnership with Santa Rosa County and HNWS. In a show of support for the Eglin RIB’s site, the 2019 HNWS budget includes sufficient funding to satisfy the HNWS portion of the costs recently outlined in the study.
President Goulet was also positive about the visit, “I am excited for the future of the HNWS and Navarre. The Eglin expansion will ensure capacity for growth, help keep our rates low and improve water quality in the sound.
Holley-Navarre Water System is a member owned, not for profit, corporation chartered in 1970 and currently provides water and wastewater treatment to more than 15,000 members in the Holley-Navarre franchise area. Additionally, the HNWS includes The Club at Hidden Creek golf course and Municipal Engineering Services, Inc.
Navarre is lucky enough to have The Weekend Food Program of Navarre.They help feed over 600 children from the Navarre area and the Pirate Plunge is an important fundraiser to help them continue the great work that is helping children in Navarre.
There is a new event for this year that is the New Year’s Eve Dinner/Dance at the Navarre Convention Center.
Click this link to learn more about both events
https://www.navarrepirateplunge.com/
