Brevard Commissioners last week agreed ask Space Florida to pay for $130 million in upgrades to a Merritt Island water treatment plant to help handle increased demand from the commercial space industry.
Space Florida is pursuing a significant expansion of wastewater treatment capacity at the Merritt Island Sykes Creek treatment plant, requesting that the county increase the plant's capacity to handle an additional 300,000 gallons per day by 2027. water treatment plant cost
When county officials voiced concerns over how the improvements would be paid for last year, Space Florida wrote a letter implying that state funding for other projects in the county could be in jeopardy if a deal was not struck.
Commissioner Katie Delaney, whose district includes the Kennedy Space Center, felt as though county taxpayers are being pressured to take on the cost of footing the bill for the private space industry. "I'm very concerned about who is going to be paying for this. This should not be on the backs of the people of Merritt Island," she said.
This week, however, the two side were more conciliatory.
On Tuesday the Board unanimously moved forward with a deal that would see Space Florida contribute $130 million to the upgrades, though that is still subject to negotiation with Space Florida.
Space Florida President Rob Long indicated a desire to work with the county to help fund expansion at the Merritt Island plant in order to prepare for the expected increase in usage over the coming years.
"We understand that expanding the Sykes Creek WWTP could be beneficial to accommodating growth in the near term. We would like to pursue options to support such expansion," Long wrote in a letter to commissioners this month.
At Tuesday's commission meeting, Vice President of External relations with Space Florida Dale Ketcham said the price tag was something his organization could work with.
"It's exactly what we wanted," Ketcham said. "We have the resources. Tallahassee and Washington are both very anxious to see this happen because this is a national imperative to continue to grow the Cape."
"The fact that the federal government has not kept up to accommodate the commercial growth is everybody's problem. I don't think anybody expected it to blossom the way it has," he added.
Commissioner Thad Altman questioned Ketcham on the possibility of NASA's headquarters moving from Washington D.C. to Brevard County, an idea floated by Gov. Ron DeSantis this past month. Altman raised concerns that if such a move were to occur that the Cape's infrastructure needs could increase further.
"We could accommodate that," Ketcham said. "We can adjust for that. We are pursuing that. We were looking at that even advance [of the governor's directive].
"These are all problems that can be managed," Ketcham added.
Commissioner Tom Goodson questioned why SpaceX and Blue Origin leaders Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos were not taking more direct action on a public infrastructure project that would directly benefit their for-profit endeavors.
"You have the two richest men in the world and they can't build their own sewer plant?"
Ketcham and Space Florida have repeatedly said it was a priority of both federal and state governments to move forward on a deal, which he asserted had economic and national security benefits related to increasing launches from Brevard County.
Once Space Florida accepts the proposal, a final deal that could include further contingencies will come again before the Board of County Commissioners for public discussion and a vote later this year.
activated carbon filter in water treatment plant Tyler Vazquez is the Brevard County and North Brevard Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Vazquez at 321-480-0854 or tvazquez@floridatoday.com