Volusia County
Septic Upgrade Incentive Program Property Owners Information
Getting Started:
The property owner will select the contractor in the same way they would select a contractor for any home renovation/repair. Property owners should be careful to hire only licensed, insured contractors. Further information can be found in the FAQ at the bottom of the page.
The CONTRACTOR will apply for the grant and be the applicant. As the property owner, it is important to understand the program requirements and work with your selected contractor to access the grant funding. The contractor will apply for funding on the property owner’s behalf here.
Kindly take note that this program has been launched recently. While contractors are in the process of acquainting themselves with the program, please don’t hesitate to share the program’s contact information, provided below, with your selected contractor. This will allow them to access extra assistance and support as needed.

Program Overview for Property Owners
This program offers rebates only in the Priority Focus Area (PFA) of DeLeon Springs. Please follow these instructions on how to search in the PFA. The rebates are available for payment directly to certified septic system installers and licensed plumbers retained by property owners to upgrade existing conventional systems and must be pre‐approved by the County and permitted by the Florida Department of Health in Volusia County prior to the commencement of work.
NEED SUPPORT?
If you have reviewed this site and have additional questions, please email us at Volusia-support@forwardplatform.zendesk.com or call us at 855-582-3973 for more information.
The contractors listed are familiar with the Volusia County Septic Upgrade Incentive Program and are happy to assist you in answering your questions. This list is intended to be a resource for property owners making informed decisions and does not endorse or refer any specific contractor. Property owners may hire any qualified registered/licensed contractor or plumber.
Allen Plumbing & Backflow Services Inc
John Allen
allenplumbing@msn.com
386-734-0010
allenplumbingdeland.com
Taylor Septic Service LLC
Mitch Taylor
taylorsepticservices@yahoo.com
386-878-6201
Find us on Facebook
Ricci’s Bobcat and Septic Service Inc.
Jeff Ricci
jjriccibobcat@live.com
386-804-9538
Acme Environmental
Adam Lee
acmesepticsystems@yahoo.com
407-330-0756
www.aesseptic.com
Eligibility Requirements
Households must meet all screening criteria to be eligible for the septic upgrade grant of up to $10,000.
The CONTRACTOR will apply for the grant on behalf of the property owner to offset the cost of the installation of the qualifying system. Contractors can find more information here. Property owners in the PFA will hire a registered septic system contractor or state-licensed plumber.
A list of the eligible features achieving enhanced treatment of nitrogen is available on the Florida Department of Health (DOH) website https://floridadep.gov/water/onsite-sewage/content/product-listings-and-approval-requirements
- Single- or two-family residence or mobile home, or non-profit owned and operated site.
- Current on all property taxes or proof of non-profit status in good standing (Active Status) on Sunbiz.
Additionally:
- The property owner must complete the consent form with the contractor (open and download form for fillable PDF).
- The onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems (OSTDS) must be existing and conventional.
- More than one installation per site is allowed.
The grant limit per septic system is $10,000.
For-profit commercial properties and residential new constructions are not eligible.
- Work must be done within the DeLeon Springs Priority Focus Area (PFA). Please follow these instructions on how to search in the PFA.
- The property must be a single- or two-family residence or mobile home, or non-profit owned and operated site.
- All septic system upgrades authorized for this project will be performed by a registered septic system contractor or state-licensed plumber.
- The contractor must be a registered vendor with Volusia County.
- Registered septic system contractors can be found here. Please follow these instructions on how to search for registered septic system contractors. State-licensed plumbers can be found here. Please follow these instructions on how to search for state-licensed plumbers. These sites will allow you to search for contractors by county, however the contractor may not be familiar with the program.
- All work must be permitted and approved by the Florida Department of Health in Volusia County (DOH).
- Work must be to upgrade existing conventional systems and must be pre-approved by the County and permitted by DOH before work commences.
- Funds are available only for installations of nitrogen-reducing onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems (OSTDS) enhancements in an eligible single- or two‐family residence or mobile home, or non-profit owned and operated site with an existing conventional (non‐nitrogen‐reducing) system.
- The approved nitrogen-reducing systems are:
- In-ground nitrogen-reducing biofilters (INRBs)
- Nitrogen-reducing (NSF-245 certified) aerobic treatment units (ATUs)
- Nitrogen-reducing performance-based treatment systems (NRPBTs)
- For-profit commercial properties and residential new construction are not eligible.
- More than one installation per site is allowed.
Property Owners Required Documents
- The contractor will provide the Property Owner Application Form to the property owner for completion. The contractor has to provide this form to the County in order to apply for the program. See Property Owner Application Form (open and download form for fillable PDF).
You can store documents in your profile so you can easily find them to include in your applications. These file formats are supported: .doc, .docx, .gif, .jpeg, .jpg, .pdf, .png, .xls, and .xlsx
Frequently Asked Questions
FORWARD has extensive experience administering assistance programs across the nation and can process applications at scale, prevent fraud, securely process payments, and provide reporting that meets funder requirements.
Property owners in the PFA (instructions on how to search in the PFA) will hire a registered septic system contractor or state-licensed plumber. The CONTRACTOR will apply for the grant on behalf of the property owner to offset the cost of the installation of the qualifying system.
A property owner will select the contractor in the same way they would for any home renovation/repair. Property owners should be careful to hire only licensed, insured contractors. Links to resources are below. The contractor should:
- Be a registered septic system contractor here or a state-licensed plumber here. These sites will allow you to search for contractors by county, however the contractor may not be familiar with the program. Please follow these instructions on how to search for a registered septic system contractor. Please follow these instructions on how to search for a state-licensed plumber.
- Secure a completed Property Owner Application Form for authorization by the property owner to participate in the grant program. See Property Owner Application Form (open and download form for fillable PDF).
Yes. Work must be done within the Priority Focus Area in DeLeon Springs. Please follow these instructions on how to search in the PFA.
Visit the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s website for addition information on the DeLeon Springs Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP).
The Springs BMAP requirements for existing systems in DeLeon, Gemini, and Volusia Blue BMAPs will require owners of existing systems to upgrade their system in areas subject to the OSTDS remediation policy in the BMAP when the system needs a repair or modification permit. The date for when these requirements will become effective is not yet known, but DEP will communicate this to stakeholders as soon as it is established.
In short, at this time, no property owner is required to replace their conventional system with a nitrogen-reducing system. The grant incentivizes those who choose to make this change ahead of the DEP mandated requirement date, which is yet to be established.
Yes, the maximum amount of the award is $10,000 per septic system. Each award is based on the total cost of the septic installation. For example, an installation that qualified under the grant but was a total cost to the property owner of $8,500 would only be eligible for $8,5000 in incentives. The incentive cannot exceed the total cost of installation.
This program is limited in funding from the State of Florida and will conclude when funding is no longer available or by the contract end date, whichever comes first.
Yes, more than one installation per site is allowed.
Yes, non-profit owned and operated sites can apply for the septic upgrade incentive as long as their status on Sunbiz shows in good standing (Active Status).
The contractor will notify the property owner if the project on their property has been approved to begin.
If you have additional questions, please email us at Volusia-support@forwardplatform.zendesk.com or call us at 855-582-3973 for more information.
The contractor you choose will provide you with a written quote to install a nitrogen-reducing system that includes a notation of the amount of the grant (up to $10,000) the contractor will be applying for to offset the cost of the system. The remainder of any septic system installation costs is the property owner’s responsibility.
The property owner located in the PFA will select a qualifying septic system upgrade using a registered septic system contractor or state-licensed plumber. The CONTRACTOR will apply for the grant on behalf of the property owner to offset the cost of the installation of the qualifying system.
A list of the eligible features achieving enhanced treatment of nitrogen is available on the Florida Department of Health (DOH) website https://floridadep.gov/water/onsite-sewage/content/product-listings-and-approval-requirements
For property owner education regarding nitrogen-reducing septic systems, please visit https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/Nitrogen_Reducing_Systems_for%20_Springs_Protection_0.pdf
In 2016, the Florida Legislature identified DeLeon Spring as an impaired second magnitude “Outstanding Florida Spring” that requires additional protections to ensure conservation and restoration for future generations. To achieve the water quality restoration targets established in the TMDL, the DeLeon Spring Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) was developed by the FDEP and contains enforceable sets of projects and management practices to reduce nitrogen pollution that is impacting the spring. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has determined that septic tanks are a major source of nitrogen pollution in DeLeon Spring and, as a result, has implemented a septic system remediation plan as part of the DeLeon Spring BMAP. The law requires specific actions regarding both conventional and new septic systems located near DeLeon Spring within the area known as Priority Focus Area (PFA).
- DeLeon Spring Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)
- DeLeon Spring Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP)
- FDEP Interactive Map showing PFA areas
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has approved Volusia County for a $2.2 million grant to provide rebates to property owners for up to $10,000 per septic system upgrade using registered septic system contractors and state licensed plumbers at a single- or two-family residence or mobile home, or non-profit owned and operated site. Upgrades of conventional septic systems in the Priority Focus Area (PFA) are intended to reduce nitrogen contributions to DeLeon Springs.
No, rental properties may qualify as long as the property owner consents.
Program Partners

Volusia County Department of Health

Department of Environmental Protection
FORWARD is administering the Volusia County Septic Upgrade Incentive Program on behalf of Volusia County
and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
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