South Charlotte County manages future growth, water needs

PUNTA GORDA – In the far southern reaches of the county, where cattle graze and wildlife still rule, the Burnt Store Water Treatment Plant sits isolated, but not apart from its surroundings.

There is a shared familiarity between the handful of workers inside and the many critters outside, who have regularly visited the facility over the past 40 years. Current callers include an eight-foot alligator that was found by a home in a drainage ditch, a female panther that slakes her thirst from an on-site pond, a romp of otters that recently moved in, a deer that just gave birth to a pair of fawns, and Patches, a snorting wild hog that is more bluster than beast.

But the halcyon countryside is set to undergo a radical transformation in the coming years, with a considerable amount of residential development designated along Burnt Store Road. As the revival of the construction industry picks up steam, life will never be the same for the water plant operators and their animal friends.

In preparation for this influx of humanity, and associated merchants to serve them, a major renovation of the facility took place in 2010, more than tripling its capacity.