Many Polk County residents have spoken up about growth and the lack of infrastructure to support it when it comes to water and power. Fort Meade commissioners approved the Stonebridge data center project in April 2026, a vote The Citrus Tea News later found had no approved public record, while facing an estimated price tag of $40 million in water and wastewater replacement costs they say they need just to meet current demands.
Meanwhile, one city is already on track to open a brand new water plant in early spring 2027: a facility the city’s project manager John Deaton says has the capacity to meet current and future growth demands, giving Lake Alfred system redundancy, or a second source that can hold pressure across town when the other plant needs to go offline.
Before going on a tour to see the new plant, The Citrus Tea News sat down with Deaton to talk about growth, water pressure, boil water notices, and how the city plans to address the concerns residents are raising after multiple water events across the city…