Fort Pierce Utilities Authority Celebrates Ribbon Cutting of Mainland Water Reclamation and Reuse Facility

Fort Pierce, FL January 15, 2025 — On January 9th Fort Pierce Utilities Authority (FPUA) welcomed more than 200 guests to celebrate the ribbon cutting of the new Mainland Water Reclamation and Reuse Facility, marking a major milestone in the community’s long-term wastewater infrastructure program.

The event brought together elected officials, project partners, FPUA leadership and staff, and community members to recognize a project shaped by years of planning, collaboration, and public input. The relocation of wastewater treatment off South Hutchinson Island was driven by community concerns about environmental protection, storm resilience, and long-term sustainability, concerns that ultimately guided one of
the most significant infrastructure investments in Fort Pierce’s history.

Attendees toured the state-of-the-art facility, including the main control room, which was dedicated in honor of Rupert N. Koblegard III, FPUA’s General Counsel for 27 years. A lifelong Fort Pierce resident, Koblegard played a pivotal role in guiding the utility through decades of growth and governance. His legacy now lives on at the heart of the facility’s operations.

The celebration also featured an on-site information fair with FPUA departments and project partners highlighting the technology, environmental benefits, and community impact of the program, along with artwork from local artists and students featured in a commemorative calendar celebrating the completion of the facility.

FPUA extended thanks to Mayor Linda Hudson, the Fort Pierce City Commission, Senator Erin Grall, State Representative Dana Trabulsy, Congressman Brian Mast, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the many project partners and contractors whose work helped bring the facility to completion.

While the ribbon cutting marks the completion of the first major phase, 17 additional conveyance projects are now underway to fully redirect wastewater flows to the new facility and complete the systemwide transition in the years ahead.

More information, construction updates, and virtual tours are available at FPUA Hosts Ribbon-Cutting for Mainland WRF — FPUA Sustainable Sewer.

###

About FPUA: Fort Pierce Utilities Authority is a municipal, not-for-profit utility provider. FPUA’s mission is to provide our customers with economical, reliable, and friendly service in a continuous effort to enhance the quality of life in our community. Fort Pierce is one of more than 2,000 communities in the United States served by a community-owned electric utility, and one of the very few that also provide water, wastewater, natural gas, and Internet services. Public utility systems are owned by the people they serve. All benefits from our locally controlled utility remain right here in the community. Additional information is available at www.fpua.com.

Click Here – Printable PDF