62-610.463. Monitoring and Operating Protocol

(1) Reclaimed water limitations shall be met after disinfection and before discharge to holding ponds or reuse systems. The total suspended solids limitation shall be achieved before disinfection, regardless of the actual reclaimed water compliance monitoring location.

(2) The treatment facility shall include continuous on-line monitoring for turbidity before application of the disinfectant. Continuous on-line monitoring of total residual chlorine or for residual concentrations of other disinfectants, if used, shall be provided at the compliance monitoring point. Instruments for continuous on-line monitoring of turbidity and disinfectant residuals shall be equipped with an automated data logging or recording device. Continuous on-line monitoring instruments shall be calibrated according to the requirements of Chapters 62-160 and 62-600, F.A.C. Continuous on-line monitoring instruments shall be maintained according to the manufacturer’s operation and maintenance instructions. In accordance with Rule 62-610.320, F.A.C., the permittee shall develop, and the Department shall approve, an operating protocol designed to ensure that the high-level disinfection criteria will be met before the reclaimed water is released to the system storage or to the reclaimed water reuse system. The operating protocol shall be reviewed and updated as required in Rule 62-610.320, F.A.C. Reclaimed water produced at the treatment facility that fails to meet the criteria established in the operating protocol shall not be discharged into system storage or to the reuse system. Such substandard reclaimed water (reject water) shall be either stored for subsequent additional treatment or shall be discharged to another permitted reuse system requiring lower levels of preapplication treatment or to a permitted effluent disposal system.

(3) Ground water monitoring.

(a) Monitoring of ground water requirements shall be as contained in Chapters 62-520 and 62-600, F.A.C.

(b) A ground water monitoring well shall be located adjacent to unlined storage ponds or lakes, unless the applicant provides an affirmative demonstration in the engineering report, based on local hydrogeological conditions or historic flow data for the pond, that reclaimed water stored in the pond will not percolate to ground water.

(4) Monitoring for Giardia and Cryptosporidium.

(a) For treatment plants having capacities of 1.0 mgd or larger, the permittee shall sample the reclaimed water for Cryptosporidium and Giardia as follows:

1. Sampling shall be conducted at one time during each two-year period. Intervals between sampling shall not be greater than two years. The sample results shall be submitted to the Department on or before November 28 of that year using Form 62-610.300(3)(a)4., Pathogen Monitoring, (adopted and incorporated by reference in subparagraph 62-610.300(3)(a)4., F.A.C., effective August 8, 2021, http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-13373).

2. Samples shall be taken at a point immediately following the disinfection process.

(b) For treatment plants having capacities less than 1.0 mgd, the permittee shall sample the reclaimed water for Cryptosporidium and Giardia as follows:

1. Sampling shall be conducted at one time during each five-year period. Intervals between sampling shall not be greater than five years. The sample results shall be submitted to the Department on or before November 28 of that year using Form 62-610.300(3)(a)4., Pathogen Monitoring, (adopted and incorporated by reference in subparagraph 62-610.300(3)(a)4., F.A.C., effective August 8, 2021, http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-13373).

2. Samples shall be taken at a point immediately following the disinfection process.

(c) Samples shall be taken during peak flow periods between the months of August and October.

(d) If the wastewater treatment facility uses chlorination for disinfection, samples collected for analysis of Giardia and Cryptosporidium shall be dechlorinated.

(e) A grab sample for TSS shall be taken such that it is representative of the water leaving the filters at the treatment facility during the period when pathogen samples are being obtained. This TSS sample shall be taken during the period when pathogen samples are collected. In addition, the permittee shall record the lowest total residual chlorine observed during the period when pathogen samples are collected.

(f) EPA Method 1623.1, (adopted and incorporated by reference in subsection 62-610.100(7), F.A.C., effective August 8, 2021, http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-13382), or other approved methods in accordance with Rule 62-160.330, F.A.C., or other approved methods for reclaimed water or nonpotable waters, adjusted appropriately to accommodate the detection limit requirements, shall be used. Methods previously allowed for EPA’s Information Collection Rule (ICR) shall not be used. The full requirements of the approved method, including quality assurance and quality control, are to be met. Quality assurance and sampling requirements of Chapter 62-160, F.A.C., shall apply.

Two concentrations of Giardia and Cryptosporidium shall be recorded on Part III of Form 62-610.300(3)(a)4., Pathogen Monitoring, (adopted and incorporated by reference in subparagraph 62-610.300(3)(a)4., F.A.C., effective August 8, 2021, http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-13373).

1. Total cysts and oocysts shall be enumerated using EPA Method 1623.1, (adopted and incorporated by reference in subsection 62-610.100(7), F.A.C., effective August 8, 2021), http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-13382) or other approved methods in accordance with Rule 62-160.330, F.A.C.

2. Potentially viable cysts and oocysts shall be enumerated using the DAPI staining technique contained in EPA Method 1623.1, (adopted and incorporated by reference in subsection 62-610.100(7), F.A.C., effective August 8, 2021, http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-13382), or similar enumeration techniques included in other approved methods in accordance with Rule 62-160.330, F.A.C. Cysts and oocysts that are stained DAPI positive or show internal structure by D.I.C. shall be considered as being potentially viable. If the laboratory reports separate values for DAPI positive and for cysts or oocysts having internal structure, the larger of the two concentrations will be reported as being potentially viable.

(g) If the number of potentially viable cysts of Giardia reported exceeds 5 per 100 liters or oocysts of Cryptosporidium reported exceeds 22 per 100 liters, a subsequent sample shall be taken and analyzed using EPA Method 1623.1, (adopted and incorporated by reference in subsection 62-610.100(7), F.A.C., effective August 8, 2021, http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-13382), or other approved methods in accordance with Rule 62-160.330, F.A.C. This subsequent sample shall be collected within 90 days of the date the initial sample was taken, analyzed for both Giardia and Cryptosporidium, and the results of the subsequent analysis shall be submitted to the Department within 60 days of sample collection using Form 62-610.300(3)(a)4., Pathogen Monitoring, (adopted and incorporated by reference in subparagraph 62-610.300(3)(a)4., F.A.C., effective August 8, 2021, http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-13373).

Rulemaking Authority 403.051, 403.061, 403.087 FS. Law Implemented 403.021, 403.051, 403.061, 403.062, 403.085, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088 FS. History–New 4-4-89, Amended 4-2-90, Formerly 17-610.463, Amended 1-9-96, 8-8-99, 8-8-21.