ORLANDO, Fla. — Orange County is offering up to $10,000 to help homeowners upgrade their septic systems. Officials say the program is designed to reduce pollution and protect local waterways.

What You Need To Know

Orange County offers up to $10,000 to help homeowners upgrade septic systems

The program targets homes near local springs without sewer connections

Enhanced systems remove nutrients to prevent harmful algal blooms

Homeowners can check eligibility for the program on the county’s website

For Orange County homeowner Bruce Martin, a failing septic system was becoming a costly problem.

He says what used to be occasional maintenance turned into something much more frequent.

“It needed to be emptied very frequently and at a pretty significant cost,” said Martin. “And normally you only get them emptied about every five or six years. And it was coming down to once a month. Well, that’s a lot of expense.”

Knowing he needed a new system, he started looking at his options.

That’s when he learned about a county program that could help cover the cost.

“They gave me $10,000 toward the expense of replacing it and it cost about half that more as well,” said Martin.

The funding comes from Orange County’s Septic Upgrade Incentive Program.

Officials say the program focuses on homes in priority areas near local springs, especially where sewer connections are not available.

“We have the Septic Upgrade Incentive Program as a way to support our residents when they need to replace their septic system,” said Emily Lawson, an engineer with Orange County’s Environmental Protection Division. “They’ll need to use an enhanced system that removes nutrients now and those systems cost a little more than a conventional system. So we’re providing some financial support for that.”

County leaders say the goal is to help more homeowners upgrade systems that can impact water quality.

They say older septic systems can release nitrogen into the ground and that nitrogen can feed harmful algal blooms in local springs, lakes and waterways.

“The goal is to keep nutrients out of the waterways of Orange County,” said Lawson. “So, what we want to do is install these enhanced systems that remove nutrients so that we don’t get harmful algal blooms in our rivers, lakes and streams.” 

For Martin, the upgrade was about more than just fixing a problem.

He says it also brought relief from a cost he was prepared to cover on his own.

“I’m grateful for all Orange County’s done in the last few months for this area,” said Martin.

County leaders say they’ve received nearly 1,000 inquiries about the program, with dozens of applications already approved and reimbursed.

County leaders say homeowners can check their eligibility by entering their address on the county’s website.

They say the goal is to expand the program and continue improving water quality across the region.