What You Get

Six ways the lagoon pays you back.

The Indian River Lagoon is not only an environmental resource. Regional studies value the estuary in the billions of dollars a year across its seven-county watershed — supporting fishing, boating, tourism, waterfront property values, coastal marine industries, and long-lived scientific and aerospace institutions on its shores. What follows summarizes what a healthy lagoon means for household economics in Brevard County, and how the SOIRL half-cent tax fits into that picture.

Your home is worth more.

Lagoon-adjacent real estate contributes $23 billion in property value across the region. In the study's Indian River County sample, a three-bedroom home within 100 meters of the water was associated with an estimated $660,000 sales premium relative to an otherwise comparable property farther away. That specific estimate should not be assumed for every Brevard property, but the study found that lagoon proximity materially affects regional property value. Even a mile inland, the effect is measurable in every closing. This is built-in equity you already own — and that equity is exposed when water quality, wildlife, recreation, and confidence in the lagoon decline.

Balmoral hedonic study, 2025 (backup)

Your fishing is coming back.

Mapped seagrass acreage grew roughly 72% between 2023 and 2025 (SJRWMD). Seagrass is the nursery habitat that supports estuary-dependent gamefish like snook, redfish, and spotted seatrout; long-term fisheries recovery would be expected to follow habitat recovery, but fishery-specific recovery data on that timescale is not yet published. Recreational fishing, boating, and shoreline activities generate an estimated $6.8 billion a year across the seven-county watershed.

SJRWMD seagrass survey, 2026

Your paycheck depends on this.

A seven-county regional valuation estimates that lagoon-connected industries support roughly 128,400 jobs and $8.3 billion in wages across the whole watershed — hospitality, marine industries, aerospace, natural resource management, and commercial fishing. That valuation is regional; a Brevard-specific job or wage share is not separately published. See the /onelagoon/ page for context on how the seven-county valuation is used and what it does and does not measure.

2025 Economic Valuation Study

Cleaner runoff, healthier groundwater.

Every septic-to-sewer conversion the tax funds reduces the amount of nitrogen entering shallow groundwater near the lagoon. Household costs from these conversions vary — connection fees and utility bills replace septic maintenance and eventual replacement — and are handled through Brevard County’s homeowner assistance program. The program has completed 2,350+ homeowner upgrades and conversions so far, prioritized in areas closest to the lagoon.

SOIRL Project Dashboard

Your flood risk drops.

Wetlands hold back over 100 billion gallons of storm water every year. Wetlands, stormwater systems, oyster reefs, and living shorelines can reduce wave energy, retain runoff, and improve regional resilience. Regional flood-mitigation value is estimated at $500 million a year. The scale of protection varies substantially by project, storm, elevation, and location; no individual project guarantees that a particular home will avoid flooding.

Balmoral ecosystem services, 2025 (backup)

Your aerospace hub needs it too.

The Space Coast's rapidly growing aerospace industry uses lagoon-front infrastructure and depends on the region's ability to attract and retain talent. A degraded lagoon costs Brevard both. If you own a home whose value rides on Brevard's economic future, the lagoon is part of that trade.

Balmoral executive summary (backup)

The bottom line.

You pay half a cent added to every dollar you spend in Brevard — not a property tax, not a new tax, just the existing sales tax you already pay at Publix and gas stations. The estimated benefits — measured in home value, neighborhood health, and household savings — are far larger than what any single household contributes. The specific multiplier used on the payback calculator (see the vote page) is an estimate, not a verified return-on-investment figure. Restoration works only as long as the funding continues.

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