PCS: Early Connection Incentives

Early Connection Incentive

If the following requirements are met, the county will reimburse you up to $1,000 per connection toward your on-lot costs associated with abandoning your septic system and installing a pipe to connect the house drain to the central sewer system. Within 90 days of receiving Notice of Availability, the homeowner must have completed the following:

Complete an application for county wastewater service and pay, or arrange financing for, the wastewater capacity fee and deferred standby fee.
Meet the utility deposit requirements: pay a refundable $75 deposit or a credit check will be done by the utility.
Provide an original invoice from a Florida licensed plumber for the on-lot work and/or submit original receipts for materials if the homeowner performs part of the work. Photocopies of invoices or receipts will not be accepted. Labor by the homeowner is not reimbursable, only material costs. Provide proof that your property has passed inspections by the Health Department and County Planning and Development Services regarding the septic tank abandonment and connection to the central system.

If the property owner has made all reasonable efforts to connect the property to the county system within the 90-day period but, through circumstances beyond the property owner's control, connection cannot be made within that 90-day period, the property owner may contact County Utilities to request an extension, not to exceed 45 days.

If the aforementioned requirements are met, the county will generate a reimbursement check and mail it to you within 14 business days. If you owe any money to Sarasota County Environmental Services for any previously existing utility account, that amount will be subtracted from the reimbursement amount.

Credit for Septic System Repair or Replacement

The county will credit your utility account if you have had septic system repairs permitted by the Health Department within the last 10 years that cost $1,000 or more, and you can provide the county with proof of payment for the work. The maximum credit is based on when the repair or replacement cost was incurred and cannot exceed $1,560.

If approved, this credit would first be subject to any monies due Sarasota County Environmental Services (including capacity fee liens) and the balance would appear as a credit on your first utility bill following approval.

In no event shall the credit exceed the costs of the repair or replacement.

Note: The incentive and credit will be applied to one septic system per single-family residence. Information is subject to change.