By Roger Jimenez, Interning Correspondent for The Apopka Voice
During the second day of Apopka's budget workshops, city officials found themselves at a crossroads—whether to invest millions into the Golden Gem Reclaimed Water Plant or reconsider its place in Apopka's future. At the heart of the debate was a $12.5 million proposal to expand the reclaimed water plant, prompting questions about cost, necessity, and long-term value.
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Public Works Director Vlad Simonovski presented the department's proposed budget for the 2025–26 fiscal year. The discussion centered on significant infrastructure projects, with Golden Gem Road and its accompanying reclaimed water plant drawing the most attention and debate from city officials.
Golden Gem Road and the Reclaimed Water Plant
Among the largest items in the City's proposed capital projects is a $12.5 million expansion of the Golden Gem Reclaimed Water Plant, a facility located on Golden Gem Road in northwest Apopka. The site consists of two large ponds spanning over 100 acres and capable of holding more than 250 million gallons of water. Originally purchased from St. Johns Water Management District in 2009 for $4.5 million, the facility has remained incomplete and non-operational for the past 16 years.
The project has grown more urgent following violations from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) after liner failures in one of the ponds earlier this year. The City estimates that just a liner repair will cost $2 million.
While the expansion would equip the site with the necessary pumping systems, filtration, generators, and infrastructure to become operational, city commissioners raised concerns about its long-term cost and viability.
Commissioner Diane Velazquez raised those concerns, asking whether the City could return the facility to St. Johns. Simonovski responded that doing so could cost the City over $4.5 million plus accumulated interest.
"I just don't see the benefit of investing anything in Golden Gem at this point," said Commissioner Velazquez.
"It's never generated revenue for us," said Commissioner Nick Nesta.
However, Mayor Bryan Nelson added that the plant may be necessary for regulatory reasons.
"We have our CUP [Consumptive Use Permit] and can only take so much water from the ground for irrigation," he explained. "We're going to need to have another source of water for irrigation, so if we don't have this pond, at some point we will be in trouble with St. John's... So by taking water and having a pond where we can store it and then use it, it gives us a revenue source, but it also helps us meet our CUP."
Roadwork and Public Support
Separate from the plant expansion, Golden Gem Road is also set to receive $5 million for reconstruction under the City's transportation impact fee fund.
During public comment, Albert McKimmie, a nearby resident of Golden Gem, urged the City to commit fully to improving the area.
"We really need to go all in on Golden Gem Road. This isn't something we can walk away from," McKimmie said. "The solutions are there. We don't have to spend as much as we might think."
McKimmie emphasized the site's potential to hold even more reclaimed water in the future—up to 100 billion gallons, according to his estimates—and called the area vital for the City's long-term water infrastructure.
Public Works Budget at a Glance
The total Public Works budget is divided into three main departments:
- Streets: $8.37 million (67%)
- Stormwater: $2.67 million (22%)
- Design Engineering: $1.41 million (11%)
FY25 accomplishments included:
- Replacing asbestos cement water mains
- Paving 6.4 miles of roads
- Installing 11 new speed humps
- Inspecting nearly 1,000 stormwater structures
- Adding nearly 7 miles of sidewalks
The City's water and wastewater capital improvements will total over $31 million, with major projects like:
- Master Lift Station #17 Replacement: $4.6 million
- Ozone treatment at Grossenbacher WTP: $1.5 million
- NWRC Reclaim Water Storage Pump Station Phase 2: $4.8 million
Apopka's Future
Despite the financial uncertainty surrounding Golden Gem Road and its reclaimed water facility, the council ultimately opted to keep the plans in place. Commissioner Nadia Anderson reminded the room of the importance of long-term planning:
"I don't think it's smart to give back something that could potentially benefit our future."
Simonovski agreed, saying the City is now in a "transitional period" and would see meaningful returns from the investment within the next 5 to 10 years. For now, the council has taken a cautious but forward-looking step in preserving what could become one of Apopka's most critical utilities.
