The Apopka City Council voted unanimously to extend a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) for the sixth time. The extension gives the city more time to work on a $14.5-million improvement project for the reclaimed water facility at the 103-acre Golden Gem Road property. 

The action came during a special joint meeting between the City Council and the SJRWMD on  Monday. The resulting extension pushes the deadline on the project to May 20, 2026. 

The SJRWMD acquired the Golden Gem Road property in May 2009 and transferred it to the city via a quit claim deed. The condition was that the city focus on designing, permitting, and building a reclaimed water storage and aquifer recharge project. One 300-million-gallon reclaimed water pond currently exists at the property, where a sinkhole formed in January 2024 and which the city has been working on restoring.  

The project’s $14.5-million budget includes a $12.5-million allocation for the pump station and $2 million to replace a damaged liner at the reclaimed water facility. The project aims to provide 49 million gallons of reclaimed water, with potential for future expansion. It is also focused on meeting regional water needs, with contributions from the cities of Altamonte Springs and Mount Dora. 

According to Vladimir Simonovski, public works director and city engineer, the MOA requires several items to receive its sixth amendment. These include a consumptive use permit modification application, hydrologic and liner material evaluation, and monthly status meetings. 

The city’s engineering firm, Tetra Tech, is serving as a consultant, working on tasks such as the reclaimed water operating and water balance model analysis and the design of a reclaimed water reservoir storage. 

Commissioner Nick Nesta recommended that if the sixth amendment is approved and the May 2026 deadline approaches, the city should hold a workshop to explore what the next project phase would look like under the MOA’s seventh amendment. 

Simonovski said the seventh amendment will relate to extending the project with what’s included in the $14.5 million task for the liner repair and building the pump station, which will likely be underway at the time. 

“Of course, as a separate condition, that will be our goal for the district to consider to have a separate condition for the repair of the larger liner of [the] larger pond, because that will require a little bit more time,” Simonovski said. 

Albert McKimmie, a Golden Gem Road resident, raised concerns about the project’s compliance with Florida statutes and the need for due diligence in removing and testing existing liners. 

He told the City Council he sent all members documents – including those from the city –regarding the Golden Gem Road property and offered to speak to any City Council member about the documents.  

“I’m going to tell you tonight, the city is not in compliance with Florida statues as it currently stands at that pond,” he said.  

Dr. Phyllis Olmstead, an Apopka resident speaking in her capacity as District 3 Supervisor of the Orange County Soil and Water Conservation Districts, expressed concern about the fill material placed in the pond and its potential impact on the aquifer and drinking water.  

Like McKimmie, Olmstead emphasized the need for careful and diligent repair of the pond to prevent future issues. 

“I beg of us, in this continuing time that we’re working on this to repair it, that we do so diligently with inspections and carefully repair it and remove any bad materials that were [placed] there,” she said. She stressed the importance of protecting the area from another collapse, particularly because it is “precious above our aquifer.” 

Since the original MOA’s execution, both parties have approved five amendments to extend the project completion deadline:  

• First amendment (April 9, 2014): Extended deadline to May 27, 2019. 

• Second amendment (June 5, 2019): Extended deadline to May 27, 2022. 

• Third amendment (May 23, 2022): Extended deadline to September 30, 2023. 

• Fourth amendment (February 14, 2023): Extended deadline to March 31, 2025. 

• Fifth amendment (March 31, 2025): Extended deadline to September 30, 2025.