USF’s Community Sustainability Partnership program with Palmetto winding down

Students from the University of South Florida’s Tampa campus are entering their “final chapter” with the city of Palmetto and the university’s Community Sustainability Partnership Program.

USF students and professors have been working in Palmetto since the city was chosen in May for the program, which assists the city with various needs ranging from multi-modal design, historic preservation, infrastructure and more. The first group of students addressed the city’s transportation future in November. On Monday, USF civil engineering students took a close look underneath the streets of the city to determine the status of Palmetto’s wastewater system and what can be done to sustain it over the next half century or so.

The students conducted an evaluation of the city’s wastewater system, discussed future water security and delved into septic tank alternatives for areas of Snead Island. USF student Josh Phelps said the goal wasn’t just to evaluate “but also to make improvements.”

The students, like the city, determined Palmetto’s wastewater infrastructure is aging. A sewer relining project has been ongoing to address inflow issues where ground water is seeping into cracked pipes,causing lift stations to work harder with the potential for more serious issues. The students also determined that unnatural obstructions were endangering the city’s sewer system.

Too many rags, so-called flushable wipes, cooking oil and more materials are getting into the system. That’s something Phelps said, “doesn’t address your future when it comes to relining.” The students recommended a public outreach and educational campaign.

“I think they are on the right track,” said Allen Tusing, public works director. “It’s been fun working with them all, and they have even made me think. The public education is spot on and is the direction we need to be going.”

The students working on Snead Island septic alternatives focused on the Gulf and Bay Estates area, an area of the island that was built between the 1950s and 1970s. The homes all have septic systems, something both the city and Manatee County want to eventually eliminate. The students determined from Manatee County Health Department records that more than 60 percent of the septic systems are at the end of their lifecycles.

The good news is that water sampling at specific areas near the homes did not reveal high levels of fecal matter or nitrogen, but the tests were conducted during a time of drought when Tusing said septic tanks typically function the best. Based on the students’ findings, the city wants similar testing during the rainy season for a better evaluation.

In the meantime, the students determined that the best solution is to connect the neighborhood to the city’s wastewater system. There are two lift stations in two different newer communities. The students determined they are more than sufficient to deliver the excess sewage to the city’s wastewater facility.

City staff and officials alike have been impressed with the USF students throughout the project with Mayor Shirley Groover Bryant calling the presentations both “impressive” and “very helpful.”

This story was originally published April 17, 2017 at 8:29 PM with the headline "USF’s Community Sustainability Partnership program with Palmetto winding down."