Water-Related News

Winter Haven Commission approves money to treat Lake Conine, approves development on Lake Eloise

WINTER HAVEN — City commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved paying its part of a redesign project with Polk County to treat Lake Conine.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District, or Swiftmud, has the 236-acre lake designated as a surface water improvement and management priority. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has it designated as impaired.

In partnership with the county, the city will work to redesign a project originally designed in 2011 to treat the lake.

The redesign will cost $89,701; with $44,850 coming from the city.

Construction would start early next year and is estimated to cost $2 million. The city and county plan to pay half of that and have requested the other half from Swiftmud.