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Cudjoe Sewer Information
- Key Largo: Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District 305-451-4019
- Marathon: 305-289-5005
Septic tank and/or current on-site system: Monroe County Health Department/ Environmental Health 305-809-5670.
Assessments
What will my monthly sewer bill be?
Rates are set by the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority.
Can I pay in full and remove the annual payment from the tax bill?
Yes, payments must be received no later than August 31st of any given year to avoid an annual payment with interest and administrative fees being placed on your annual property tax bill.
If I want to pay off my assessment how will I know what I owe?
Contact the Monroe County Wastewater department at 305-292-4426 or 292-4525.
Can I pay only part of my payoff now and the rest of it later?
There are only two options to pay the wastewater capacity fee.
- You may pay the total outstanding balance due before August 31st of any given year.
- You may make an annual payment on your tax bill. There is nothing required by the homeowner for the annual tax bill payment option. This option is automatic for any property that has not paid the assessment in full by August 31st of any given year.
Where can I pay my assessment?
Payoff payments can be made by mailed to or dropped off in-person to Monroe County Wastewater Department; 1100 Simonton Street (Room 2-216); Key West, FL 33040.
Can I use a credit card to prepay the assessment?
No, only checks are accepted.
What will be the annual assessment payment on my tax bill?
Monroe County has divided the wastewater into separate projects and these projects had their assessments start at different times. After a few years, Monroe County received a reduced interest rate of 2.4 - 2.69 percent. The new reduced interest, in return, reduced each project’s annual assessment payment. The amount you now pay depends on how many payments were paid before the reduction in the interest rate. There is also an administration fee included in each of the annual payments which cover the cost of collection. The amount may vary slightly year to year depending on actual costs of collection and interest. The interest and administration fees are only added to the annual payments. You may pay off the principal balance with no fees or interest prior to Aug. 31 of any given year to prevent another payment from rolling over to your tax bill.
- Inner Islands – Cudjoe, Upper Sugarloaf, and Summerland - $302.53
- Outer Islands – Lower Sugarloaf, Ramrod, Little Torch, Big Pine Key - $310.29
- Big Coppitt and Duck Key – $271.88
- Long Key and expanded Cudjoe area - $330.92
Why isn’t the Wastewater assessment on my TRIM (Truth in Millage) statement?
The Property Appraiser controls whether or not non-ad Valorem assessments are included on the Trim statements. The assessment will be on the tax bill for anyone who has not paid the $4,500.00, in full, by August 31.
Appeals
Shouldn’t use like boat washing, that does not reach the wastewater system, resulting in a reduction of my EDU assignment?
For residential property, the assignment is based on the number of dwelling units, not the flow. If the water use of such property for irrigation, etc. is high, you should consider a separate meter to avoid monthly usage charges. Please contact the FKAA for more information about a separate meter.
For commercial properties, a separate meter may reduce the EDU assignment. Once a separate meter is installed for 12 months (to include all seasonal variations) the Wastewater Dept. will review the EDU assignment. The property owner is responsible for providing the data to the Wastewater Department for review.
How was the EDU assignment for my property determined?
All residential properties were assigned one (1) EDU for each dwelling unit [e.g. a single-family residence was one (1) EDU; a duplex was assigned two (2) EDUs, etc.]
Condominiums were assigned one EDU for each unit as required by State Statute [F.S. 718.120(1)]
Commercial property EDU assignments were based on the water flow into the property. EDUs were calculated by comparing the water flow into the commercial property with the average flow for a single-family residence according to Florida Administrative code (167 gal/day). If a commercial property used twice as much water as a single-family residence it was assigned two (2) EDUs; if it used ten (10) times as much water, it was assigned ten (10 EDUs), etc.
How do I appeal the number of EDUs assigned to my property if I think it’s wrong?
Please complete a sewer appeal form Sewer Appeals Notice Form. Please include as much detail as you can to assist the reviewers.
If I missed the deadline for appeals in the letter, have I missed my chance to appeal?
No – The deadline in the initial letter was set to ensure the initial appeals could be processed before the tax rolls were certified for the inner islands. Appeals can be filed at any time up to four years.
How do I get financial assistance with connection costs?
Monroe County has a sewer connection program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). Attached are the forms needed to start the application process and determine your eligibility.
Please read this instruction sheet carefully, complete the entire application, and the conflict of interest form. The mailing address and contact number are located on the last page of the application.
Connecting
Property owners will receive both a 1-year notice prior to availability to connect and then an invitation to connect within 30 days.
Do I have to connect?
Yes, per Florida Statute 381.00655(1)(a) and Monroe County Code Section 20-51(a).
What will happen if I do not connect?
Non-compliant properties will be referred to Code Compliance solely for the enforcement of connection, as it is State and County Law.
Continued non-compliance could result in a daily fine of $100 and a lien being placed on the property.
Permitting
What permits will I need to hook up to the new sewer lines?
For a home with a septic tank, you will require two permits.
- Department of Environmental Health: 305-809-5670 for the decommissioning of the existing septic tank. Fee $95, you may convert your septic to a cistern for a separate permit and fee.
- Monroe County Building Department: Contact any of our offices at the numbers listed on our Building Department for information on permits related to the connection. Permit fee: $70 (this permit does not expire), this covers both connecting the lateral and electric, if applicable.
What if I have an AWT system that I just recently installed, do I still need to hook up?
State statute requires properties to hook up to a central sewer system if it is available. There are certain criteria that can be met for some systems installed after July 1, 2010 to have the connect date extended until December 31, 2020. Please contact Environmental Health for more information 305-809-5670.
Gravity vs Grinder
How do I know if I am in a low-pressure gravity or cold spot?
Visit Cudjoe Wastewater for up-to-date information in your area.
If I have a grinder station what will happen when the power goes out?
FKAA personnel will respond with a generator to pump out the holding tank, it is anticipated that each of the stations can retain a day’s worth of flow.
NOTE: most household appliances with the highest water usages will not function without power either (Washing machine, dishwasher, etc.)
If I have a grinder station how much extra power will the station use?
It is anticipated that the grinder pump stations will use on average the equivalent of a 100 watt light bulb running 24 hours a day (a few dollars a month) FKAA is planning to absorb that cost as a credit to users. Contact FKAA for more information.
Where will the grinder pump station be put in my yard?
The contractor and the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority will be working with property owners in an effort to place the grinder pump station in an area agreeable with everyone.