Toho Water Authority Welcomes Sunbridge Customers

The workshop was an interactive forum (a mixture of panelists, roundtable discussions, and a question-and-answer session) for water industry professionals to brainstorm with colleagues regarding: S Operational challenges facing Florida water utilities in a post-COVID-19 world. S Technology and innovation ideas to address key operational and infrastructure challenges. S Funding alternatives to help finance necessary technologies and innovations.

Participants spoke openly about the challenges that their utilities face on a daily basis and concerns with future issues.

The top five operational challenges most pressing to the attendees were: S Workforce S Financing/Funding S Resiliency S Regulations S Public Perception/Acceptance

Moving forward, the Florida 2051 committee seeks to further address sustainable water infrastructure and its future and is targeting these near-term topics and action items: S Water Utility Workforce. Facilitate case study presentations. S Funding. Facilitate a funding workshop orchestrated through the FSAWWA

Finance and Rates Committee. S FSAWWA Public Messaging/Outreach

Plan. Develop a public outreach plan to be utilized by our utility community as needed.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to AWWA and FSAWWA for sponsoring the workshop; the venue sponsor, Orange County Utilities; the FSAWWA Water Utility Council for developing and delivering the workshop content; our panelists and moderators; and the workshop sponsors.

We look forward to continuing the Florida 2051 conversation. S

Through an agreement with Toho Water Authority (Toho), and affiliates of Tavistock Development Company (Tavistock) and the Sunbridge Stewardship District (Sunbridge), Toho welcomed approximately 500 customers from the Sunbridge community effective September 1.

As part of this change, customers within Sunbridge will see a rate decrease in October, which will be reflected in their November bills.

“Toho is pleased to expand our partnership with Tavistock and Sunbridge from that of wholesale provider to the same retail services we provide throughout Osceola County,” said Todd Swingle, executive director of Toho. “We’re committed to providing these new customers from the Sunbridge community with quality water services and reduced rates in this growing area of the Osceola County community.”

“Transitioning water, wastewater, and irrigation services to our partners at Toho is a significant milestone that reflects years of collaboration and advanced planning,” said Clint Beaty, senior vice president of operations at Tavistock. “This is an innovative arrangement that will set Sunbridge up for success as our region continues to grow, while also providing long-term value to our residents.”

Customers in the Sunbridge community are currently being served by the new Sunbridge Water Treatment Facility, which commenced operations in February 2022. The Sunbridge Wastewater Treatment Facility is also under construction and expected to be online in late 2023. Both facilities are the result of the partnership among Toho, Tavistock, and Sunbridge that has culminated in the approval of this retail utility arrangement.

Established in 2003 as an independent special district by the merger of the water and wastewater utilities operated by the City of Kissimmee and Osceola County, Toho has been providing water utility services to the area for nearly 20 years. S

The recently completed Sunbridge Water Treatment Facility.