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Septic Upgrade Incentive Program (SUIP)

The Septic Upgrade Incentive Program (SUIP) encourages homeowners located in Hernando County to make improvements and to offset the costs of those improvements.

Septic Upgrade Incentive Program (SUIP)

SUIP Application

How the Process Works

1. Application & Eligibility
    • Application submission via mail.
    • Only 1 application per envelope.
    • Eligibility verification by Accenture.
    • Accenture notifies property owner of eligibility.
    • Property owner has 30 days to initiate septic upgrade process
2. Contractor Selection
    • Property owner to choose contractor from participating list.
    • Contractor provides owner with cost estimate to include all required scope of work.
    • Property owner pays their portion of SUIP costs.
    • Contractor provides copy of septic permit.
3. Notice to Proceed
    • Accenture issues NTP upon receipt of all required documents.
    • Contractor has 60 days to complete septic upgrade. 
    • Contractor is responsible for filing required notice and providing copy to HCHD.
4. Site Inspection
    • Contractor notifies Accenture of request for site inspection.
    • Accenture notifies Coastal of site inspection request. 
    • Coastal completes site inspection and provides report to Accenture.
    • Contractor completes septic work for final inspection.
4. Reimbursement
    • Contractor to provide recorded notice, final lien waiver, final inspection report and invoice for reimbursement.
    • Accenture to submit disbursement request to Coastal and Hernando County for approval and processing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I qualify for the Hernando County Septic Upgrade Incentive Program?

  1. You must not have participated in Hernando County’s previous Septic Upgrade Incentive Program, funded both through FDEP and Hernando County.
  2. Your property address must be located within the designated Weeki Wachee Springs Priority Focus Area (PFA).
  3. Your property address must not be located within an area designated for sewer connection.
  4. You must own the property that needs septic upgrades
  5. You must not be delinquent on property taxes for any given tax year.

Applications can be found on Hernando County’s website at:

https://www.hernandocounty.us/SUIP

You can also request an application by contacting Llewellyn Esteban or Tara Reynolds, Accenture, at HernandoSUIP@accenture.com or (850) 681-3717.

Applications must be mailed to Accenture at:

3800 Esplanade Way
Suite #100
Tallahassee, FL 32311. 

Only original applications will be accepted. Signatures should be in blue ink to distinguish from copies.

Only one (1) application per envelope will be accepted by mail.

Contact the following project manager with Accenture to find out if you are in the PFA:

Llewellyn Esteban at (850) 681-3717 or
llewellyn.esteban@accenture.com.

No. You may only submit an application for a single property.

If a property you own has already received assistance through the Septic Upgrade Incentive Program (SUIP) in the past, the property will be deemed ineligible for assistance.

No. The septic upgrade incentive program only covers eligible properties with existing conventional septic systems.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has set the maximum grant amount at $7,500 per septic upgrade project.

No. Any out-of-pocket expenses owed to your contractor by you will be paid directly to the contractor prior to any work.

Once the septic upgrade work is complete, verified by County and Accenture staff, and approved by the Health Department, the balance owed to your contractor to be paid for with grant funds will be paid directly to your contractor. 

Yes. Any costs that exceed the maximum grant amount ($7,500) will be paid for by the property owner.

These costs must be paid in advance before any work may begin.

Upon application approval, Accenture will notify the homeowner of eligibility to receive grant funding.

The homeowner will then have 30 days from notification to contact a contractor to initiate the septic upgrade process. If the homeowner does not initiate any work within 30 days, the homeowner will be withdrawn.

The contractor then has 60 days from the Notice to Proceed date to complete the installation upgrade.

Yes, but not just any contractor. You must only choose a participating contractor from the list provided to you upon eligibility notification.

The list will contain eligible, licensed contractors who have agreed to participate and hold the appropriate licenses with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), Hernando County Health Department (HCHD), and Hernando County.

All listed contractors have voluntarily elected to participate in the program.

Pursuant to the Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act (2016) and resulting Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs), Hernando County completed a Wastewater Feasibility Analysis to determine when central sewer is appropriate and develop an alternative solution to reduce nutrients to the springshed areas.

Where central sewer is not indicated, Hernando County developed the Septic Upgrade Incentive program to encourage homeowners to voluntarily remediate existing Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems (OSTDS) to include nitrogen reducing enhancements. The program is intended to offset a portion of the costs by providing certified septic system installers and licensed plumbers with up to $7,500 after the installation of the ENR system, is approved by the County.

 

In-Ground Nitrogen-Reducing Biofilters (INRBs)

This type of ENR system removes nitrogen, primarily in the form of nitrate, from wastewater or stormwater before it reaches groundwater or surface waters. Water passes through a buried, engineered media bed — typically sand or soil amended with a carbon source such as woodchips or compost — where naturally occurring denitrifying bacteria convert nitrate  into harmless nitrogen gas under low-oxygen conditions. These systems are commonly used in nitrogen-sensitive areas, offering a passive, space-efficient approach to reducing nutrient pollution by 65% and protecting water quality. This system accommodates a larger drain field (so these won’t work on every site) and does not require a maintenance contract and operating permit.

Aerobic Treatment Units (ATU)

This type of ENR system treats household wastewater by using oxygen to support beneficial bacteria that break down waste more thoroughly than a conventional septic tank. Air is pumped into the system to keep the wastewater mixed and oxygen-rich, allowing the bacteria to reduce solids, odors, and harmful pollutants (at least 65%) before the water is released for further treatment or dispersal into the soil. ATUs are commonly used on smaller lots or in environmentally sensitive areas because they produce cleaner effluent and help protect groundwater and nearby water bodies. These systems require a maintenance contract and operating permit from the Health Department.

Performance-Based Treatment System (PBTS)

This type of ENR system is an advanced system designed to meet specific water quality standards rather than follow a single fixed design. Instead of focusing only on how the system is built, it is evaluated on how well it actually treats wastewater—such as reducing nitrogen, bacteria, or other pollutants (at least 65%) to required levels. These systems must be engineer-designed, to combine multiple treatment methods, and require a maintenance contract and operating permit.  PBTSs are commonly used in environmentally sensitive areas where higher levels of treatment are needed to protect groundwater, lakes, and coastal waters.

Contact List

Accenture

Llewellyn Esteban

Assistant Project Manager | Accenture
Infrastructure & Capital Projects (I&CP)
Raleigh, NC, USA | 850.681.3717

llewellyn.esteban@accenture.com

Your primary contact for application questions or concerns.

Accenture

Tara Reynolds

Grant Manager | Accenture
Infrastructure & Capital Projects (I&CP)
Tallahassee, FL, USA | 850.681.3717

tara.reynolds@accenture.com

Your primary contact for contractor concerns or performance.

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