PALM BAY, Fla. – The city of Palm Bay announced that it has received $1 million from Florida’s Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget to officially approve and fund the Turkey Creek Sanctuary Water Quality Improvement Project, officials said.

In a news release issued on Monday, city officials said the state-allocated funds will go to replacing aging stormwater infrastructure and installing advanced filtration systems along Meadowbrook Road Northeast.

The project aims to significantly reduce pollutants entering Turkey Creek and the Indian River Lagoon, the city said. More improvements include the installation of third-generation baffle boxes with filter media at four key sites and updating the stormwater systems that are over 40 years old.

“This critical investment helps protect one of our most cherished environmental assets, Turkey Creek Sanctuary, and ensures we’re taking proactive steps to safeguard our water quality for future generations,” Mayor Rob Medina said in a statement.

The city committed an additional $800,000 toward the design, engineering and construction of the project, officials said, aiming for the improvements to help minimize the risk of future infrastructure failures — similar to when a failed stormwater pipe at Norwood Street Northeast led to a significant raw sewage spill after Hurricane Milton, the city said.

A separate request for a Fiber Optic Security Infrastructure project was included but ultimately vetoed, according to the news release.