62-610.100. Purpose, and Applicability

(1) The purpose of Chapter 62-610, F.A.C., is to provide design and operation and maintenance criteria for land application systems that may discharge reclaimed waters or domestic wastewater effluent to Class G-II ground waters and to a limited extent to Class G-I and F-I ground waters (as defined by Chapter 62-520, F.A.C.). This chapter also provides design and operation and maintenance criteria for surface water discharge projects involving reuse for ground water recharge, potable reuse, or other beneficial purposes described in this chapter. The requirements in this rule shall apply to systems involving potential discharges to Class G-I and F-I ground waters (as defined by Chapter 62-520, F.A.C.) to the extent that these rule provisions do not conflict with requirements for G-I and F-I ground waters. Supported by moderating provisions, it is intended that Chapter 62-610, F.A.C., establish a framework whereby design flexibility and sound engineering practice can be used in developing systems with which to manage domestic wastewater in an environmentally sound manner. This chapter contains operation and maintenance requirements so as much information as possible on reuse and land application can be presented in a single chapter.

(2) Chapter 62-610, F.A.C., shall be used in conjunction with Chapter 62-600, F.A.C. Systems shall be designed in accordance with sound engineering practice. Minimum design waste treatment and disinfection standards are specified in Rules 62-600.420 and 62-600.440, F.A.C. Additional waste treatment standards, where appropriate, are addressed in this chapter.

(3) Applicability.

(a) Requirements in this chapter shall apply only to domestic wastewater treatment facilities and reuse and land application systems receiving reclaimed water or effluent from domestic wastewater treatment facilities.

(b) Unless specifically provided otherwise in this chapter, requirements in this chapter shall apply to all new reuse and land application systems which are approved by the Department on or after April 5, 1989. This chapter also shall apply to all existing facilities when such facilities are to be modified or expanded, but this chapter shall apply only to the expansion or modification thereof, or if treatment processes are altered such that the quality of reclaimed water or effluent or reliability of such processes is adversely affected. Re-rating of an existing reuse or land application system or site such that the permitted capacity of the system or site is increased shall be considered an expansion, even if there is no increase in physical size of the system or site.

(c) All reuse systems, to which construction permits were approved by the Department on or before April 5, 1989, involving irrigation of public access areas, residential properties, and edible crops (systems subject to regulation under Part III of this chapter), shall meet the waste treatment and disinfection requirements contained in subsection 62-610.460(1), F.A.C. The waste treatment and disinfection requirements contained in subsection 62-610.460(1), F.A.C., shall not apply to citrus irrigation systems if:

1. Public access shall be restricted,

2. The reclaimed water shall not directly contact the fruit,

3. The fruit that is produced shall be processed before human consumption; and,

4. Secondary treatment and basic disinfection shall be provided.

(d) Septic tank drainfield systems and other on-site sewage treatment and disposal systems with subsurface disposal are exempted from the requirements of this rule if:

1. The system serves the complete wastewater needs of an establishment with a design capacity of 10,000 gallons per day or less of domestic wastewater, or

2. The system serves the complete wastewater needs of a commercial establishment with a design capacity of 5,000 gallons per day or less of commercial wastewater.

(e) Minimum setback distances required by subsections 62-610.421(5), 62-610.471(3), 62-610.521(7) and 62-610.621(4), F.A.C., shall not apply to reuse or land application projects for which the Department received a complete construction permit application before April 15, 1990.

(f) The requirements of Parts V and VII of this chapter and Rule 62-610.525, F.A.C., shall apply to projects for which complete permit applications that request authorization for construction of domestic wastewater treatment facilities or reuse facilities were received by the Department after August 8, 1999, unless specifically stated otherwise within this chapter.

(g) Requirements for setback distances to unlined storage ponds in subsection 62-610.521(10), F.A.C., shall apply to new unlined storage ponds. These setback distances shall not apply to existing installations, as defined in Rule 62-521.200, F.A.C.

(h) Subsections and Rules 62-610.421(10), 62-610.466, 62-610.471(9), 62-610.472, 62-610.652(5), 62-610.668(2) and 62-610.865, F.A.C., shall apply to projects for which complete permit applications for domestic wastewater treatment facilities or reuse facilities were received by the Department on or after August 8, 1999. These subsections and rules also shall apply to existing projects which are being expanded or modified; however, these rule requirements shall apply only to the expanded or modified portion of the project.

(i) The annual reuse report required by subsection 62-610.870(3), F.A.C., shall apply to all (new and existing) domestic wastewater facilities having capacities of 0.1 mgd or larger that reuse all or a portion of the reclaimed water produced.

(j) The Cryptosporidium and Giardia sampling required by subsections and paragraphs 62-610.463(4), 62-610.472(3)(d), 62-610.525(13), 62-610.568(10), 62-610.568(11) and 62-610.652(6)(c), F.A.C., shall apply to all (new and existing) facilities that provide reclaimed water for the types of reuse activities regulated by the part of this chapter that contains the rule requiring this sampling. The Cryptosporidium and Giardia sampling required by paragraph 62-610.472(3)(d), F.A.C., shall apply to all (new and existing) facilities that use surface water or treated stormwater as supplemental water supplies for a reuse system regulated under Part III of this chapter.

(k) Unless specifically stated otherwise, all setback distances shall be measured horizontally.

(l) Existing facilities (those that had construction permit applications or initial permit applications which authorized construction approved by the Department on or before April 5, 1989) shall comply with the requirements of Part III of this chapter. This applies only to facilities that make reclaimed water available for one or more activities regulated by Part III of this chapter (such as irrigation of public access areas, residential properties, or edible crops; toilet flushing; fire protection; construction dust control; aesthetic purposes; or other activities listed in Rule 62-610.480, F.A.C.). These existing projects previously have been granted grandfathering protection under paragraphs 62-610.100(9)(b) and (c), F.A.C. Existing facilities are exempt from the following portions of Part III of this chapter:

1. Minimum system size in Rule 62-610.451, F.A.C.

2. The color coding requirements in paragraph 62-610.469(7)(f), F.A.C. This exemption applies to all existing reclaimed water pipes installed before January 10, 2010.

3. Setback distance requirements in Rule 62-610.471, F.A.C. This exemption applies to all existing reclaimed water pipes and existing areas receiving reclaimed water. Pipes installed and new or expanded areas constructed on or after January 1, 2010, to receive reclaimed water shall comply with the setback distance requirements.

(4) Other Reuse and Land Application Systems. The Department shall approve preapplication treatment, disinfection, reliability, storage, setback distance, monitoring, and other design and operational control measures for reuse and land application systems not addressed in Parts II, III, IV, V, VI, or VII, including systems comprising components of slow-rate, rapid-rate, or overland flow involving potential discharges to ground water or surface water, if the applicant provides reasonable assurances in the engineering report that the design and operational controls proposed by the applicant will result in compliance with ground water quality and surface water quality standards and that public health will be protected. To the extent practicable, design and operational control measures should be established based on the most similar reuse or land application type described in Parts II, III, IV, V, VI, or VII based on system design, application rates, land management practices, and potential for affecting ground water or surface water quality and uses.

(5) The Department encourages efficient and effective use of reclaimed water featuring relatively high potable quality water offset or recharge fractions such as described in Table 5 in the publication entitled, Water Reuse for Florida: Strategies for Effective Use of Reclaimed Water.

(6) Potable reuse projects are considered projects of hightened public interest  for the purpose of subection 62-110.106(6), F.A.C., and subparagraph 62-110.106(7)(a)1., F.A.C.

(7) EPA Method 1623.1: Cryptosporidium and Giardia in Water by Filtration/IMS/FA, January 2012, EPA 816-R-12-001, (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-13382) is hereby adopted and incorporated by reference effective August 8, 2021. A copy of the publication may be obtained by contacting the Department’s Wastewater Management Program, M.S. 3545 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400.

Rulemaking Authority 403.051, 403.061, 403.064, 403.087 FS. Law Implemented 403.021, 403.051, 403.061, 403.062, 403.064, 403.085, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088 FS. History–New 4-4-89, Amended 4-2-90, Formerly 17-610.100, Amended 1-9-96, 8-8-99, 11-19-07, 8-8-21.