Flagler Beach Water Trouble!

by Ronnie Ward

FOLLOW THE PIPE AND YOU'LL KNOW WHERE FLAGLER BEACH IS GROWING

On July 9, the Flagler Beach City Commission voted to ask the state for $43 million. Here's what it's for, and why the map matters more than the money.

WHY IT'S HAPPENING

Every drop of wastewater treated at the Flagler Beach facility on Avenue A currently discharges into the Intracoastal Waterway. There is no reclaimed water distribution system for public reuse.

Florida's Senate Bill 64, enacted in June 2021, requires domestic wastewater utilities that discharge into surface water to eliminate nonbeneficial discharge and fully implement an approved plan by January 1, 2032. The bill passed both chambers of the Florida Legislature unanimously. This is a state requirement. Flagler Beach doesn't get to opt out.

THE ASK

• The City Commission authorized staff to seek a $43 million grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

• The project is laid out in six phases.

• The city must provide a 50-50 match on each phase, putting Flagler Beach's own contribution at just over $20 million.

WHERE THE PIPE GOES (THE PART THAT MATTERS)

The phased corridors include John Anderson Highway west and south, Roberts Road north, Lambert Avenue and Palm Drive east and north, Barrier Island Parks east, and the Flagler Beach Golf Course south and east.

Now look at the order:

• FY 2026-27: roughly $9.1 million sought for design and construction of the John Anderson Highway and Roberts Road water mains. That's the first real money, and it's headed to the western corridor.

• Step seven, projected 2031-32: roughly $12 million for the conveyance line along South Central Avenue near Ocean Palm Golf Course. That's the single most expensive piece of the whole project, and it's near the back of the line.

West side first. In town later.

City Manager Dale Martin has also floated running a line along State Road 100 and turning this into a countywide project with Palm Coast and Bunnell.

WHAT IT MEANS

Infrastructure is a promise made in concrete. Water mains don't get pulled back out of the ground. Wherever the utility backbone goes, growth tends to follow.

If you own in Flagler Beach, keep an eye on your utility bill. A match obligation north of $20 million has to be funded from somewhere.

If you're buying here, ask about the utility rate trajectory, not just taxes and insurance. Most buyers never look at that line.

Thinking about buying, building, or selling in Flagler Beach or anywhere in Flagler County? Let's talk about what this means for your property.

Call or text me directly at (386) 864-5883.