The State Has Reopened the Case. It’s Time for Marco to Move Forward with AWT

Earlier this month, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection accepted Clean Marco Waters’ petition challenging Marco Island’s wastewater permit and sent it to the Division of Administrative Hearings. In plain terms, the State has reopened the question of whether Marco Island’s wastewater system meets today’s environmental standards and the Island’s current needs. 

Marco Island is still operating under a permit issued in 2003, when development and wastewater volumes were far lower. Today, up to 40,000 residents and visitors generate roughly 700 million gallons of sewage each year. Because the city’s treatment plant cannot fully treat this wastewater, about two million gallons per day are applied across the island as reclaimed irrigation water. Under Florida rules and Marco’s current permit, this reuse water may containhigh levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, nutrients known to fuel harmful algae growth if they reach waterways. 

The assumption that soil and plants would safely absorb these nutrients does not hold on a densely developed, sandy barrier island with shallow groundwater and hundreds of miles of canals. Independent testing has detected clear markers of treated wastewater, including caffeine and sucralose, in Marco’s canals, confirming that nutrients applied through irrigation are reaching surrounding waters. Residents see the results: murky canals, algae blooms, low oxygen, seagrass loss, and dramatic declines in fish and wildlife. 

Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT) is a proven solution. AWT reduces nitrogen and phosphorus by up to 80 percent and is already used by neighboring coastal communities such as Naples, Everglades City, and Key West. Delaying upgrades only increases long-term environmental and financial costs. 

Public support for AWT is strong, and City Council leadership has acknowledged that residents want it. With the State reviewing Marco’s permit and a final engineering report from Black & Veatch expected soon, the path forward is clear. It is time for Marco Island to commit to implementing Advanced Wastewater Treatment and protect its canals, marine life, and quality of life for generations.