Hialeah council votes to invest millions to revamp neglected water and sewer systems
The City of Hialeah, which has not made significant improvements to its water and sewer system in the past 20 years, voted unanimously on Tuesday to set aside $14.8 million for upgrades, from building new pump stations, replacing water pipes, cleaning and restoring manhole covers and repairing the sewer system.
The lack of maintenance has created significant challenges for the city over the years. Pumping stations are currently operating beyond the 10-hour daily limit set by Miami-Dade County, which has made it more difficult for businesses and developers to get permits to build new projects or improve existing ones.
Kevin Linskey, the director of public works, who oversees Hialeah’s water and sewer department, said that many pumping stations covering as much as one third of the water and sewer system have been operating beyond the normal limit of 5,000 gallons per mile of piping. In some instances, these pump stations are flowing at up to five times their intended capacity.
The improvements the city approved Tuesday aim to ensure long-term reliability of the system and save on costs for residents. Linskey’s detailed explanation to the city council of the water and sewer issues marked the first time a public works director has publicly addressed the need for maintenance and repair of the system. Linskey became public works director in March 2023, after Armando Vidal, who had the job for 25 years, retired.
At the council meeting on Sept. 10 prior to the approval of the new budget, Linskey told the council that the problems with the water and sewer system have “significantly slowed down development.”
The city has approved a $162 million budget for public works for the new fiscal year, representing a substantial 25% increase from last year. Of this funding, $31.7 million will come from the American Rescue Plan, a federal initiative to aid economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The city also plans to spend $40.4 millon over the next five years for repairs and improvement to the water and sewer system.
Hialeah residents pay the fourth-highest water and sewer rates in Miami-Dade County, and the rates are expected to continue rising.
Residents pay a rate of $11.50 every two months for water usage and $12.50 rate every two months for sewage.
Leakage in the system is one of the factors keeping costs high.
This year, residents will see another increase in water and sewer fees. Miami-Dade County, which provides 50 percent of Hialeah’s water, has raised water fees by 13.6%. A county sewage fee reduction of 3.3 percent will mean Hialeah residents will see an overall hike of 10% for water and sewage.
To help residents with the rising costs, the city has suspended the franchise fee, which it charges to all water and sewer accounts. The fee, initially set at 10% in 2014 under Mayor Carlos Hernández, has been gradually reduced since 2019 and currently stands at 4%.
The city’s aging water and sewer system is overloaded, particularly in east Hialeah, with frequently leaking pipes that date back to the 1960s. Groundwater infiltration into the system increases the volume that must be processed at treatment plants, leading to higher costs for residents in the area.
The county has sent the city an ultimatum to pay an outstanding debt of $18 million for water and sewer services. Overdue payments for the services are over 90 days delinquent, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in a letter to Hialeah Mayor Esteban “Steve” Bovo on July 22.
The letter emphasized that all county residents share the financial responsibility for water and sewer services, and that Hialeah’s failure to settle its debts “means that the county’s water and sewer customers are unfairly burdened with the financial obligation for services rendered in Hialeah.”
Hialeah has requested two extensions for payment. The mayor, who disputes the amount the county claims the city owes, has said he will not authorize payment of the $18 million until the city resolves past disagreements over the services.
This story was originally published October 23, 2024 at 4:34 PM.
