If you've looked at a home in Cambridge Greens this year, you've probably heard the word "sewer" before you heard the asking price. Cambridge Greens is the first village in Citrus Hills to go through a county-run conversion from private septic tanks to central sewer, and it's the single biggest thing a buyer there needs to understand.
The good news: it's a long-term win for the neighborhood. The catch: no two homes are in quite the same place in the process. One house may be connected and fully paid. The one next door may still carry an assessment balance and a stack of county charges. Here's how it works, in plain English, from the county's own published information.
What happened, and when
Citrus County's Water Resources department ran the project with state and regional water-management partners. According to the county's project page, construction of the new sewer lines began October 16, 2023 and was completed June 28, 2025. A May 2026 county announcement put the number of homes in the project at more than 320.
- July 31, 2025: the county mailed 365-day notices to connect, along with grant information, to Cambridge Greens homeowners.
- The connection year: the county describes a one-year connection phase "concluding sometime after July 31, 2026."
- May 7, 2026: the county announced it had been awarded $4.14 million in state springs funding to go toward homeowner special assessment costs, with the agreement headed to the county's governing board for approval on May 26, 2026.
So as of November 2026, construction is long finished and the scheduled connection year has run out. What's left is paperwork, payments, and the occasional home that hasn't made the switch yet. That's exactly what shows up during a sale.
The three kinds of cost
When people talk about "the sewer cost" in Cambridge Greens, they're usually lumping together three different things. Keeping them separate is the whole trick.
1. The special assessment
Every lot in the project area was assessed for its share of building the system. The county's project page says federal relief (ARPA) money was committed "to limit assessments to no greater than $6000 per property." Owners could pay it off or carry it over time on the property tax bill. The May 2026 state award was aimed at bringing that homeowner cost down further. How much of the assessment is still owed on a specific parcel is a question for the county, and it's the first thing we check.
2. The county connection charges
Hooking a house to the new line comes with a set of one-time county charges. The county's Cambridge Greens connection program lists these figures, current as of October 1, 2024 and subject to change:
| County charge | Amount (as of Oct 1, 2024) |
|---|---|
| Wastewater plant capacity charge | $1,156.29 |
| Wastewater off-site facilities charge | $1,677.65 |
| Wastewater deposit | $140.00 |
| Wastewater inspection fee | $100.00 |
| Utility account activation fee | $50.00 |
| Building department inspection fee | about $50.00 |
| Right-of-way permit | about $30.00 |
The county lists all of these as paid by the homeowner and not reimbursable under the grant described below. Together, the listed items come to roughly $3,200.00.
3. The work on the property itself
On an existing home, a licensed plumber has to run a line from the house out to the county connection at the right-of-way, and the old septic tank has to be properly abandoned. This is the cost most buyers never see coming, and it varies from lot to lot depending on where the house sits and where the tank is.
To help with exactly this part, the county offered a grant of up to $4,000.00 per existing home, paid as a reimbursement, covering demolition of the old septic tank, plumbing from the house to the county right-of-way, and the connection itself. Anything above $4,000.00, and any cost the program didn't count as eligible, stayed with the homeowner. The county's program page says site work had to be scheduled by July 30, 2026. If you're an owner who hasn't connected or applied, call the county and ask what's still available; don't assume either way.
Two Cambridge Greens homes that look identical from the street can carry very different costs once you ask where each one stands on the sewer.
If you're buying in Cambridge Greens
None of this is a reason to pass on the neighborhood. Half-acre wooded lots and modest POA dues are why people want to live there. It's a reason to ask four questions before you write an offer, and to get the answers in writing:
- Is the home connected to sewer? Or is it still running on its septic tank?
- Is the special assessment paid off? If not, how much is left and how is it being paid? Look for it on the property tax bill.
- Have the county connection charges been paid? If the house isn't connected, which charges will still come due, and at what current amounts?
- Was the old septic tank properly abandoned? With the permit and inspection to show for it.
The answers decide who pays what, and that belongs in the contract negotiation, not in a surprise after closing. Depending on where a home stands, the difference can run into the thousands of dollars.
If you own a home there
- Keep your paperwork together: the county's connection notice, your plumber's invoice, the permit and final inspection, the receipts for county charges, and any grant reimbursement letter. When you sell, that folder answers a buyer's questions in five minutes instead of five days.
- Know your assessment balance. Check your tax bill, or call the county. A buyer's lender and title company will ask.
- Not connected yet? Call Citrus County Water Resources at 352-527-7650 to find out where you stand and what deadlines or help still apply. The county's main line is 352-527-5200, weekdays 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Where to check the facts yourself
Amounts, deadlines and programs can change, so go to the source. The county's Cambridge Greens Septic to Sewer project page covers the project, its Cambridge Greens Sewer Connection Program page covers the grant and the county charges, and the county's May 2026 announcement covers the $4.14 million award. Cambridge Greens has two property owners' associations, the original Cambridge Greens POA and the First Addition POA. Both have posted project news over the years. For anything that affects a decision, verify with the county and the POA.
For everything else about the village, including which streets fall under which POA, dues, deed restrictions and the plat map, see our complete Cambridge Greens guide.