The City of Milton has secured a significant victory in its long-term infrastructure planning, receiving official permits from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to construct and operate a new wastewater treatment plant and associated sprayfields.
- The permits, issued January 23, represent the culmination of just over a year of intensive work following the December 2024 City Council decision to approve an alternate site and allow project redesign services. That redesign contract was executed on Dec. 23, 2024, setting the stage for the rapid permitting success.
“This was a monumental task accomplished by City staff in partnership with Baskerville & Donovan, and it was completed in what I would consider record time,” said City Manager Ed Spears.
The achievement is particularly noteworthy given the complexity of environmental permitting processes, which often stretch across multiple years. Milton’s ability to secure state approval in roughly 13 months demonstrates effective coordination between city staff, engineering consultants, and state regulators.
- The project enters its next phase with substantial financial backing already in place. Milton has secured $8 million in Florida RESTORE Act funding and $16.9 million in Florida Resiliency funding—a combined $24.9 million investment in the city’s wastewater infrastructure.
“Receiving these permits positions the City to move forward confidently and aggressively pursue additional state and federal funding for both projects,” Spears noted.
Meeting Future Needs
The new wastewater treatment facility and sprayfields are designed to address multiple critical objectives: enhancing environmental protection, improving system reliability, and meeting Milton’s long-term wastewater capacity requirements as the city continues to grow.
As Northwest Florida experiences ongoing population growth and development pressure, municipalities face increasing demands on existing infrastructure systems. Milton’s proactive approach to wastewater capacity planning positions the city ahead of potential service disruptions or environmental compliance issues.
Next Steps
City officials emphasize that all development will adhere strictly to regulatory frameworks established by state and environmental authorities. With permits now in hand, Milton can advance to the next phases of engineering, funding acquisition, and eventual construction.
The city has committed to providing regular updates as additional funding efforts progress and project phases advance. For a community experiencing growth and development, this infrastructure investment represents essential planning for sustainable expansion while protecting environmental resources and maintaining service reliability for residents and businesses.