New Septic Installation in Citrus County, FL

New septic installations in Citrus County begin with a licensed site evaluation: soil borings to characterize the soil profile, seasonal high water table depth measurement, and documentation of setback distances to wells, property lines, surface water, and storm drains. The site evaluation results determine which system type the county will permit — and in Citrus County, that determination is more consequential than in many Florida counties because of the interplay between soil conditions (which range from excessively well-drained central ridge sands to seasonally saturated coastal flatwoods) and BMAP regulatory requirements (which impose ENR systems on all lot sizes in Priority Focus Areas). The permit application goes to the Florida Department of Health in Citrus County (352-513-6100), which is in the process of transitioning to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection — confirm the current permit authority with your contractor before application.

On the central ridge — Beverly Hills, Citrus Springs, Pine Ridge, Citrus Hills, Lecanto, and the higher elevations of the Inverness area — the dominant soils are Astatula and Candler series: excessively well-drained, deep, sandy soils with seasonal high water tables often more than 60 inches below grade. These soils support conventional gravity drain fields very well under normal installation conditions. If the property is outside a BMAP Priority Focus Area, a standard conventional system is both legal and practical. However, if the same property is inside a PFA — which includes large portions of these central ridge communities under the Crystal River/Kings Bay BMAP — a new installation requires an ENR system. The fast percolation of sandy ridge soils is precisely why they're in the BMAP: nutrients move quickly through the soil to the Floridan Aquifer without adequate treatment.

In the county's lower elevations — coastal margins, flatwoods zones, and depressional areas — Myakka and Leon series soils present different installation challenges. The shallow spodic horizon and seasonal high water table in Myakka soils mean conventional gravity systems often cannot provide the required separation distance between drain field pipes and seasonal high water table. Mound systems, which raise the drain field elevation above grade using clean sandy fill, are the standard solution here. Mound systems cost $8,000–$18,000 depending on the volume of fill required and the site's access conditions. If the low-lying property is also in a BMAP PFA, the mound system must incorporate ENR nitrogen-reducing technology — your contractor designs the specific system combination based on the site evaluation results.

For properties in Old Homosassa specifically, there is an additional consideration before investing in a new septic installation: the ongoing sewer conversion. Citrus County has been converting Old Homosassa to central sewer in phases. Phases I–IV are complete. Phase V — covering Justamere Point, West Spring Cove, North Purslane Drive, South Conwell Terrace, and surrounding streets — is at 99% design and awaiting construction funding. When Phase V breaks ground, affected properties will receive mandatory connection notices and 365 days to connect at homeowner expense. If you're installing a septic system on a property in or near Old Homosassa, ask your contractor and the county to verify whether your parcel is in a Phase V sewer conversion zone before committing to a new system.