Florida Department of Environmental Protection Reuse Program: Management and Implementation Reuse is an integral part of water resources management, wastewater management, and ecosystem management in Florida. It reduces demands on valuable surface water and groundwater used for drinking water sources, eliminates discharges that may pollute valuable surface waters, recharges groundwater, and postpones costly investment for development of new water sources and supplies.
State Objectives The Florida Legislature has established “the encouragement and promotion of reuse of reclaimed water and water conservation” as one of the formal state objectives in Section 403.064(1), Florida Statutes (F.S.), and Section 373.250, F.S. It’s interesting to note that the objectives are included in the statute dealing with environmental and wastewater control and the statute dealing with water resources and water supply. Florida’s reuse program was implemented in response to the state’s reuse objectives.
Reuse Program The Florida Department of Environmental
Protection (FDEP) reuse program is charged with encouraging and promoting reuse in Florida, and also with protecting public health and environmental quality. The FDEP reuse coordinator, who has primary responsibility for implementation of the reuse program, is located in the domestic wastewater program in the division of water resource management. Rules are established and maintained to ensure that reuse projects are designed and operated such that public health and environmental quality will be protected. Reuse rule requirements are established in Chapter 62610, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.). The program provides oversight of FDEP permitting activities to ensure that rules are applied consistently statewide. The FDEP district offices review permits to make sure they are consistent with reuse requirements established by FDEP rules, as well as with the applicable consumptive use permits (CUPs) issued by the water management districts (WMDs). The permits issued must also be consistent with the antidegradation policy. The FDEP also reviews reuse feasibility studies for wastewater treatment facilities. The key components of Florida’s reuse program are:
Reuse Feasibility Reuse Feasibility Studies Reuse feasibility studies are conducted in order to evaluate the capability of a domestic wastewater treatment plant to implement reuse. Rule 62-610.820, F.A.C., lists the rules and laws that require preparation of reuse feasibility studies as follows: (a) S ection 403.064, F.S., for domestic wastewater facilities located within, serving a population within, or discharging within designated water resource caution areas (WRCAs). (b) Th e Indian River Lagoon system and Basin Act, contained in Chapter 90-262, F.S. (c) Th e antidegradation policy in Rules 62-4.242 and 62-302.300, F.A.C., for new or expanded surface water discharges. (d) B y rules of the applicable WMD. The rule also provides the conditions for when reuse feasibility studies are not required. The FDEP, with assistance from the WMDs and the Public Service Commission (PSC), published the guidance document, “Guidelines for Preparation of Reuse Feasibility Studies for Applicants Having Responsibility for Wastewater Management.” These guidelines are used by applicants for domestic wastewater permits. They can also be used by applicants for CUPs when the applicant also has responsibility for wastewater management. The CUP applicants that are also responsible for wastewater management are required to submit reuse feasibility studies to the appropriate WMD for review. Domestic wastewater treatment permits issued to holders of a CUP must be consistent with the reuse requirements contained in the CUP, which must be consistent with FDEP rules, and the permitted facility must be located in, serve a population in, or discharge within a WRCA. The PSC has entered into memoranda of understanding (MOU) with the WMDs and FDEP. Under the MOU, PSC will assist the WMDs and FDEP in review of reuse feasibility studies submitted by utilities subject to PSC regulation. Water Resource Caution Areas The WRCAs are areas that have critical water supply problems or are projected to have such problems within the next 20 years. Reuse of reclaimed water from domestic wastewater
22 April 2022 • Florida Water Resources Journal
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