District provides $300,000 to city of Gretna for water system upgrades

HAVANA – The city of Gretna is one step closer to an improved water system thanks to a grant from the Northwest Florida Water Management District.

The District recently provided $300,000 in funding for the city to design and permit water system upgrades that, upon development, will triple the amount of water storage and nearly double the rate at which that water can be transmitted through the system.

The Gretna water system serves approximately 1,500 residents.

“Providing a safe and reliable water supply is not only important for the residents of Gretna but it helps spur economic growth in the area,” State Sen. Bill Montford said. “Support for these types of projects is so important for smaller communities in northwest Florida.”

The District’s Governing Board approved initial funding for the project in 2014 and approved additional funding in 2015. The $300,000 paid for the design and permitting of a new 12-inch transmission main, two new wells and related equipment, and two new 300,000 gallon storage tanks and related pumps and equipment.

“The District takes great pride in working with local governments to provide a quality source of water while also protecting the area’s precious natural resources,” District Governing Board member Marc Dunbar said. “These upgrades will not only increase the city’s water storage but prepare the city for future growth while also increasing fire safety for the community.”

Once completed, the city’s storage capacity will increase from 300,000 gallons to 900,000 gallons and the supply rate will increase from 700 gallons per minute to 1,300 gallons per minute.

“Gretna’s project is another great example of the Northwest Florida Water Management District’s firm commitment to helping communities in the District to expand water capacity,” Gretna city manager Antonio Jefferson said. “Without the District’s partnership on this project, our city would have struggled financially to raise the money needed for completion.”

The funding is part of the District’s Water Supply Development Grant program, which launched in 2013 and has awarded funding for 70 projects totaling more than $21.6 million. These projects have helped local governments and utilities make potable water distribution system improvements, replace aging infrastructure, evaluate and develop alternative water supply projects, and address local drinking water quality issues. Two-thirds of the projects are in rural or financially disadvantaged communities.

For more information on projects funded under this program, please visit https://nwfwater.com/Water-Resources/Funding-Programs/Water-Supply-Grants.