After nearly two decades of planning, Vero Beach, Florida, is set to begin construction on a new $164 million wastewater treatment facility at the city’s regional airport this July.
The current wastewater plant, built in 1977 and located at 17th Street and Indian River Boulevard, has long been considered a risk to the Indian River Lagoon’s health due to pollution and hurricane vulnerability.
Efforts to relocate the facility began in 2006. The City Council approved the airport site in 2019 to reduce environmental impacts and increase storm resilience.
Aerial view of a section of the Indian River Lagoon, a 156-mile-long shallow waterway on Florida’s east coast. Image: Indian River County, Florida.
The new facility, called the One Water Campus, will include advanced treatment technologies to remove nitrogen and phosphorus. These nutrients can fuel harmful algal blooms in the lagoon. It will also produce reclaimed water for irrigation and integrate with the city’s existing water and stormwater systems.
“We want to pour concrete in July, that’s the goal right now,” said Water and Sewer Director Rob Bolton to the Palm Beach Post. Bolton cited grant funding deadlines as a key driver for the timeline. The city faces a November 2026 deadline to spend $21.5 million in grants, part of a total of $37.6 million in state and federal funding secured for the project.
Civil construction, like the Vero Beach wastewater project, has recently stood out. Devin Bell, Associate Economist, ConstructConnect, said, “Civil construction posted solid 10.5% year-over-year growth in Q1 2025.”
Bell added that Water and Sewage Treatment activity has been particularly strong, with starts up 30% during the first quarter.
The economist said, “Florida’s civil construction market in particular ranks as the third largest in the nation at $18.4 billion, and the state is forecasted for significant growth in the sector from 2025 to 2029.”
The $164 million price tag covers the wastewater plant, water reclamation facility, administration and maintenance buildings, storage tanks, lime beds, and extensive pipe work. The city is still studying how the project will affect utility rates.
Site preparation began last fall, and city officials say the project is “coming together slowly” but remains on track. “We are making progress,” said Mayor John Cotugno to the Daytona Beach News Journal. “It really is a large undertaking. However, for the health of the lagoon, it is an important one.”
Authorities said the new plant is expected to deliver the highest water quality in Indian River County and will serve Vero Beach, Indian River Shores, and parts of unincorporated county areas. Completion is anticipated by early 2028.
The Indian River Lagoon is a 156-mile-long shallow waterway on Florida’s east coast that mixes ocean and freshwater. Pollution and harmful algal blooms have hurt the lagoon’s ecosystem.
Scientists, government organizations, and local groups are working to reduce pollution, especially nutrients, to protect wildlife and keep the lagoon healthy.
In 2023, county administrators released the Indian River County Lagoon Management Plan to protect and improve the lagoon's health. The plan guides restoration efforts, sets goals, and recommends actions for the community to help keep the lagoon in ecological balance.
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