The Department is proposing amendments to Chapter 62-600, F.A.C., to ensure the proper collection and transmission of domestic wastewater. The amendments will implement provisions from Chapter 2020-150, Laws of Florida, ....

 

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

RULE NOS.:RULE TITLES:

62-600.200Definitions

62-600.300General Technical Documents

62-600.400Design Requirements

62-600.405Planning for Wastewater Facilities Expansion

62-600.410Operation and Maintenance Requirements

62-600.520Discharge to Surface Waters - (Coastal and Open Ocean)

62-600.680Reporting

62-600.700General

62-600.705Collection/Transmission Systems

62-600.720Operation and Maintenance Manual

62-600.735Operation and Maintenance Performance Report

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The Department is proposing amendments to Chapter 62-600, F.A.C., to ensure the proper collection and transmission of domestic wastewater. The amendments will implement provisions from Chapter 2020-150, Laws of Florida, related to collection systems and sanitary sewer overflows.

SUMMARY: Proposed amendments to Chapter 62-600, F.A.C., which contains requirements for the construction and operation of domestic wastewater facilities, were developed based on the provisions of Chapter 2020-150, Laws of Florida, to minimize sanitary sewer overflows from domestic wastewater facility collection/transmission systems. The revisions would establish requirements for power outage contingency plans; collection system assessment, repair, and replacement plans that include provisions for inflow, infiltration, and leakage studies, as well as other considerations related to minimizing sanitary sewer overflows; annual reporting requirements for pollution mitigation and the collection system assessment, repair, and replacement plans; annual progress reports for facilities subject to the elimination of non-beneficial surface water discharges under section 403.064(17), F.S., and for facility emergency response plans to address cybersecurity.

SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS AND LEGISLATIVE RATIFICATION:

The Agency has determined that this will have an adverse impact on small business or likely increase directly or indirectly regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 in the aggregate within one year after the implementation of the rule. A SERC has been prepared by the Agency.

The Agency has determined that the proposed rule is expected to require legislative ratification based on the statement of estimated regulatory costs or if no SERC is required, the information expressly relied upon and described herein:

Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 403.051, 403.061, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088, 403.913, F.S.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 403.021, 403.051, 403.061, 403.062, 403.064, 403.085, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088, 403.0881, 403.859, 403.913, 403.918, F.S.

IF REQUESTED WITHIN 21 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE, A HEARING WILL BE SCHEDULED AND ANNOUNCED IN THE FAR.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this workshop/meeting is asked to advise the agency at least 5 days before the workshop/meeting by contacting: Maurice Barker, Senior Program Analyst, Division of Water Resource Management, [phone] or by email at [e-mail].. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800)955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800)955-8770 (Voice).

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Maurice Barker, Senior Program Analyst, Division of Water Resource Management, MS 3545, 2600 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, FL 32399, [phone] or by email at [e-mail].

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

PART I GENERAL

62-600.200 Definitions.

Terms used in this chapter shall have the meanings specified below.

(1) through (30) No change.

(31) “Infiltration” means groundwater that enters a collection/transmission system, including service connections, through defective pipes, pipe joints, connections, service connections, manholes, or pump stations.  Infiltration does not include, and is distinguished from inflow. Infiltration is generally observed during seasonally high ground water conditions.  

(32) “Inflow” means surface water and stormwater that enters a collection/transmission system through service connections, from sources such as roof leaders, cellar drains, yard drains, area drains, drains from wet areas, foundation drains, cross connections between storm sewers and sanitary sewers, catch basins, stormwater, surface runoff, manhole covers, or drainage. Inflow does not include permitted industrial discharges into the collection system or the intentional introduction of water into a collection system to supplement reclaimed water supplies, and is distinguished from, infiltration. Inflow is generally observed during wet weather and in coastal communities, during some high tide flooding events. 

(33)(31) No change.

(34) “Leakage” or “exfiltration” means wastewater that leaks into surrounding soil from deteriorated, poorly designed, poorly constructed, or otherwise defective collection/transmission systems including from service connections, pipes, manholes, and pump stations.

(32) through (55) renumbered (35) through (58) No change.

(59) “Sanitary sewer lateral” means a privately-owned pipeline connecting a property to the main sewer line which is maintained and repaired by the property owner.

(60) “Sanitary sewer overflow” means any overflow, spill, release, discharge, or diversion of wastewater from a domestic wastewater collection/transmission system.

(61) “Satellite collection system” means a collection/transmission system owned or operated by an entity other than the entity that owns the wastewater treatment facility.  

(56) through (81) renumbered (62) through (87) No change.

Rulemaking Authority 403.051, 403.061, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088 FS. Law Implemented 403.021, 403.051, 403.061, 403.062, 403.085, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088 FS. History–New 11-27-89, Amended 1-30-91, 6-8-93, Formerly 17-600.200, Amended 12-24-96, 2-8-16,         .

62-600.300 General Technical Documents.

(1) The technical standards and criteria contained in the following standard manuals and technical publications listed in subsection 62-600.300(2) 62-600.300(4), F.A.C., and those referenced throughout this chapter are provided to assist applicants and permittees comply with the requirements of this chapter hereby incorporated by reference and shall be applied, if applicable, in determining whether permits allowing construction or modification of domestic wastewater facilities shall be issued or denied.

(2) Deviations from the standards and criteria contained in the publications listed in subsection 62-600.300(4), F.A.C., shall be approved by the Department provided that:

(a) The preliminary design or engineering report provides reasonable assurance that the proposed design will provide collection, transmission, treatment, and reuse or disposal meeting the requirements of this chapter; and either:

(b) Conforming with these standards cannot be done except at unreasonably higher costs, or

(c) It is not technically feasible to conform to these standards because of site conditions or incompatibility with a proposed facility design employing new and innovative techniques which assure compliance with the remainder of this chapter.

(3) In cases where standards and criteria contained in the publications listed in subsection 62-600.300(4), F.A.C., conflict with other rules of the Department, the other rules shall apply.

(2)(4) Standard Manuals and Publications.

(a) No Change.

(b) Great Lakes/Upper Mississippi River Board of State Sanitary Engineers, 2014 1978 edition. Recommended Standards for Wastewater Facilities Sewage Works. Health Research, Inc., Health Education Services Division Service, Inc., P.O. Box 7126, Albany, New York 12224. http://www.healthresearch.org http://www.healthresearch.org/store.

(c) through (g) No change.

(h) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1993 1975. Nitrogen Control – Process Design Manual. EPA-625/R-93/010 EPA-625/1-75-007. EPA Center for Environmental Research Information, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268, http://www.epa.gov http://www.epa.gov/nscep/index.html.

(i) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006 1981. Land Treatment of Municipal Wastewater Effluents – Process Design Manual. EPA-625/R-06/016 EPA-625/1-81-013. EPA National Risk Management Research Laboratory Center for Environmental Research Information, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268, http://www.epa.gov/nscep/index.html.

(j) through (n) No change.

(o) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2002 1980. Design Manual ‒ Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Systems Manual. EPA/625/R-00/008 EPA-625/1-80-012. EPA Center for Environmental Research Information, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268, http://www.epa.gov/nscep/index.html.

(p) No change.

(q) Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Department of Transportation, 2018 1985. Florida Land Use, Cover and Forms Classification System. Procedure No. 550-010-001-A. Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, 100 8th Avenue SE, Saint Petersburg, Florida, 33701, www.myfwc.com Department of Transportation, Maps and Publications Sales, Mail Station 12, 605 Suwannee Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0450, http://www.dot.state.fl.us/surveyingandmapping/.

(r) No change.

(s) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1984. Land Treatment of Municipal Wastewater – Supplement on Rapid Infiltration and Overland Flow – Process Design Manual. EPA-625/1-81-013a. EPA Center for Environmental Research Information, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268, http://www.epa.gov/nscep/index.html.

(t) renumbered (s) No change.

(t) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1991. Sewer System Infrastructure Analysis and Rehabilitation – Handbook. EPA/625/6-91/030. EPA Center for Environmental Research Information, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268, www.epa.gov.

(u) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2003. Exfiltration in Sewer Systems – Project Summary. EPA/600/SR-01/034. EPA National Risk Management Research Laboratory, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268, www.epa.gov.

(r) Water Environment Association, 1994. Manual of Practice No. FD-6, Existing Sewer Evaluation and Rehabilitation. Water Environment Federation, 601 Wythe Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, www.wef.org.

(s) Water Environment Research Foundation, 2004. Emergency Response Plan Guidance for Wastewater Systems, Water Environment Research Foundation, 635 Slaters Lane, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22314-1177, www.werf.org.

(t) American Water Works Association, 2018. Emergency Planning for Water and Wastewater Utilities. American Water Works Association, 6666 West Quincy Avenue, Denver, CO 80235-3098, www.awwa.org.

(u) Rural Community Assistance Partnership, 2013. Emergency Response Planning Template for Public Wastewater Systems. Rural Community Assistance Partnership, Inc., 1522 K Street, N.W., Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20005. www.rcap.org.

(3)(5) Members of the public may request and obtain Ccopies of the publications listed in subsection 62-600.300(2) 62-600.300(4), F.A.C., above by contacting the appropriate publisher at the address indicated. Copies of the above publications are on file and are available at the Department of Environmental Protection, Wastewater Management Program, M.S. 3545, 2600 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400. for review in the Department’s Tallahassee offices and in the Department's district and branch offices where they may be reviewed during normal business hours.

 

Rulemaking Authority 403.051, 403.061, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088, 403.913 FS. Law Implemented 403.021, 403.051, 403.061, 403.062, 403.085, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088, 403.913, 403.918 FS. History–New 11-27-89, Amended 1-30-91, 6-8-93, Formerly 17-600.300, Amended 12-24-96, 2-8-16,         .

PART II TREATMENT FACILITIES

62-600.400 Design Requirements.

(1) Facilities.

(a) No change.

(b) For new facilities and modifications of existing facilities, it shall be the design objective to select treatment processes and equipment that will efficiently and reliably meet required reclaimed water or effluent limitations. Unless otherwise stated, new or modified wastewater treatment and biosolids treatment, handling, and dewatering facilities shall provide Class III reliability as described in paragraph 62-600.300(2)(l) 62-600.300(4)(l), F.A.C. The minimum Class III reliability requirement shall only apply to the new or modified portions of the facilities. Facility reliability shall be addressed in the preliminary design or engineering report as required by subsection 62-620.410(3), F.A.C. The Department shall approve other methods of providing Class I, II, or III reliability if the permittee provides reasonable assurances in the preliminary design report that the level of reliability provided is equivalent to the class of reliability required (i.e., Class I, II, or III, whichever applies).

(c) No change.

(2) No change.

Rulemaking Authority 403.051, 403.061, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088 FS. Law Implemented 403.021, 403.051, 403.061, 403.062, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088 FS. History–New 11-27-89, Amended 1-30-91, 6-8-93, Formerly 17-600.400, Amended 12-24-96, 2-8-16,         .

62-600.405 Planning for Wastewater Facilities Expansion.

(1) The permittee shall provide for the timely planning, design, and construction of wastewater facilities necessary to provide proper collection, treatment and reuse or disposal of domestic wastewater and management of biosolids.

(2) The permittee shall routinely compare flows being treated at the wastewater facilities with the permitted capacities of the treatment, biosolids, reuse, and disposal facilities. Collection system flows shall be routinely reviewed as part of the pipe assessment, repair, and replacement plan required in Rule 62-600.705, F.A.C.

(3) through (9) No change.

Rulemaking Authority 403.051, 403.061, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088 FS. Law Implemented 403.021, 403.051, 403.061, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088, 403.0881 FS. History–New 1-30-91, Formerly 17-600.405, Amended 2-8-16,         .

62-600.410 Operation and Maintenance Requirements.

(1) through (2) No change.

(3) All facilities and equipment necessary for the collection, treatment, reuse, and disposal of domestic wastewater and biosolids shall be maintained, at a minimum, so as to function as intended.

(4) through (5) No change.

(6) All collection/transmission systems owned or operated by a facility or utility shall be maintained to function as intended and operated to provide uninterrupted service. All facilities shall also maintain collection/transmission systems under control of the facility permittee to minimize, to the extent technically and economically feasible, infiltration and inflow into the collection/transmission systems, as well as leakage from the collection/transmission systems, in accordance with Rule 62-604.500, F.A.C.

Rulemaking Authority 403.051, 403.061, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088 FS. Law Implemented 403.021, 403.051, 403.061, 403.062, 403.085, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088 FS. History–New 11-27-89, Amended 1-30-91, Formerly 17-600.410, Amended 12-24-96, 2-8-16,         .

PART III TREATMENT REQUIREMENTS

62-600.520 Discharge to Surface Waters ‒ (Coastal and Open Ocean).

(1) through (5) No change.

(6) The discharge of domestic wastewater through ocean outfalls is prohibited after December 31, 2025, except as a backup discharge that is part of a functioning reuse system or other wastewater management system authorized by the department. A backup discharge may occur only during periods of reduced demand for reclaimed water in the reuse system, such as periods of wet weather, or as a result of peak flows from other wastewater management systems, and must comply with the advanced wastewater treatment requirements of paragraph 403.086(10)(b), F.S. Discharges for maintenance purposes require prior approval by the department.

Rulemaking Authority 403.051, 403.061, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088 FS. Law Implemented 403.021, 403.051, 403.061, 403.062, 403.085, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088, 403.859 FS. History–New 11-27-89, Amended 1-30-91, Formerly 17-600.520, Amended 10-11-13, 2-8-16,         .

PART IV MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

62-600.680 Reporting.

(1) through (2) No change.

(3) Facilities subject to the requirements of section 403.064(17), F.S., to implement a plan to eliminate nonbeneficial surface water discharge by January 1, 2032, shall electronically submit an annual progress report to the Department’s Wastewater Management Program no later than November 1 of each calendar year.

(a) The annual progress report shall provide an update on the average gallons of effluent, reclaimed water, or reuse water no longer discharged into surface waters and the dates of such elimination; the average gallons per day of surface water discharges that will continue under an allowed alternative in accordance with section 403.064(17), F.S.; and, the level of treatment that the effluent, reclaimed water, or reuse water will receive before being discharged into a surface water.

(b) The annual progress report shall indicate if there were any modifications to the facility’s existing plan to eliminate nonbeneficial surface water discharge by January 1, 2032, or if a new plan was submitted since November 1 of the previous year. When the plan has been fully implemented in accordance with section 403.064(17), F.S., and such implementation has been acknowledged by the Department, the facility’s subsequent annual progress report shall indicate the report is the facility’s final report and no further annual progress reports are required.

 

Rulemaking Authority 403.061(7) FS. Law Implemented 403.061(13,) 403.064, FS. History‒New 2-8-16. Amended ________.

PART V PERMITTING

62-600.700 General.

(1) through (3) No change.

(4) Public utilities or their affiliated companies shall submit annual reports regarding transactions or allocations of common costs and expenditures on pollution mitigation and prevention among the utility’s permitted wastewater systems, including the prevention of sanitary sewer overflows, collection and transmission system pipe leakages, and inflow and infiltration. This report may be combined with the annual report requirement in paragraph 62-600.705(2)(b), F.A.C. The annual report shall be submitted electronically to the applicable district office or delegated local program no later than June 30 of the year following the close of the fiscal year covered by the report.

Rulemaking Authority 403.051, 403.061, 403.087, 403.088 FS. Law Implemented 403.021, 403.051, 403.061, 403.087, 403.088, 403.0881 FS. History–New 11-27-89, Amended 1-30-91, Formerly 17-600.700, Amended 12-24-96, 2-8-16,         .

62-600.705 Collection/Transmission Systems.

(1) An applicant for a wastewater treatment facility permit shall provide a power outage contingency plan with the submittal of the facility’s application for a new permit, permit renewal, or substantial permit revision. The power outage contingency plan shall describe the general program and protocols to mitigate the impacts of power outages on the facility’s collection/transmission system and pump stations, including any applicable mutual aid agreements. A copy of the power outage contingency plan, including any updates or revisions, shall be submitted with subsequent facility applications for permit renewal or substantial permit revision.

(2) Domestic wastewater facilities shall act to prevent sanitary sewer overflows and underground pipe leaks for all collection/transmission systems under control of the facility and shall meet the requirements in this section for those systems.

(a) The facility permittee for a wastewater treatment facility permit shall develop a pipe assessment, repair, and replacement action plan, referred to hereafter in this sections as the “collection system action plan” or “plan,” with at least a 5-year planning horizon for all collection/transmission systems under the utility’s control to mitigate sanitary sewer overflows and underground pipe leaks to the extent technically and economically feasible. The detail of the plan shall be consistent with the complexity of the system based on the best professional judgement of the individual signing the plan. Any portion of the plan requiring “engineering,” as defined by Chapter 471, F.S., shall be certified by a professional engineer registered in the State of Florida. An electronic summary of the collection system action plan shall be submitted to the Department with the facility permit application for any new permit, permit renewal, or substantial permit revision. A copy of the plan or portions of the plan shall be provided within 7 days of request by the Department. The collection system action plan shall meet the following requirements:

1. The plan shall provide a deliberate, proactive approach to evaluating or surveying the pipes, manholes, pump stations, tanks, and other equipment for the collection/transmission systems under the facility’s control during the 5-year planning horizon period. This shall be accomplished in an economically feasible manner. The collection system action plan shall set goals for evaluating percentages of the collection/transmission system annually through the use of one or more investigative techniques such as camera inspections, smoke testing, data analytics, flow isolation, focused electrode leak location, direct observation, and sonar imaging, water chemistry, and solids analysis, or through use of flow monitoring determine the amounts of infiltration, inflow, and leakages. The plan shall set a minimum goal of performing basic evaluations for at least 25 percent of the collection/transmission system during the plan’s five-year planning horizon, unless the permittee demonstrates based on economic feasibility, the age or performance of the collection/transmission system or repairs, replacements, maintenance activities, and other upgrades conducted therein that a lower percentage will achieve the requirements of subsection 62-600.410(6), F.A.C., and the goals for infiltration, inflow, and leakages shall be below the amounts considered excessive under Rule 62-604.500, F.A.C.

2. The plan shall be based on inflow and infiltration studies and leakage surveys conducted by the facility permittee or designee. When the initial inflow and infiltration studies and leakage surveys indicate that inflow, infiltration, or leakage is excessive, then the plan shall also be based on any follow-up sanitary sewer evaluation surveys. The facility permittee may propose an alternative metric to these requirements which the Department shall accept upon a demonstration by the facility permittee that the alternative metric is at least as effective in characterizing the collection/transmission system and determining the actions needed to prevent sanitary sewer overflows.

3. The plan shall provide contact information for the facility and utility of those responsible for implementing the collection system action plan.

4. The plan shall include a map and inventory of the collection/transmission system. The plan for facilities with a permitted capacity of 1 million gallons per day (mgd) or greater shall incorporate the use of a computerized geographic information systems (GIS) map and an electronic maintenance management system or other electronic inventory of the collection/transmission systems under control of the facility, which shall include the following information to the extent technically and economically practicable:

a. For each section of pipe, manholes, and pump stations, a component identification tracking number, the location, length of portion, size and diameter, type of pipe or construction, age, inspection information, and maintenance information.

b. Any climatic and geologic data determined necessary by the facility permittee to help identify appropriate maintenance and repair actions, such as geologic and topographic information; hydrologic information including seasonal high water table information prepared by the facility permittee, United States Geological Survey or other governmental entity; regional rainfall data collected by the facility permittee or other governmental entity; and groundwater quality monitoring associated with the collection/transmission system, if conducted.

c. Information regarding any collection/transmission system flows, overflows, bypasses, verified odor complaints, corrosion data, past inflow and infiltration analysis results, past leakage surveys, population served, and industries served.

5. The plan shall include adaptive maintenance and repair plans including general facility program and protocols regarding routine maintenance, cleaning activities, and protocol for emergency repairs.

6. The plan shall address record keeping for all items in the collection system action plan.

7. The plan shall describe measures taken, if any, for limiting the presence of fats, oils, grease, wet wipes, sand, and grit to the collection/transmission system, as well as a root control program.

8. The plan shall describe measures taken, if any, such as any sewer ordinances or any programs established by the applicable county or municipality in accordance with sections 125.569 and 166.0481, F.S., to minimize inflow and infiltration from individual service connections or sanitary sewer laterals, including for single-family residences, to the extent addressing such inflow and infiltration is determined necessary to prevent sanitary sewer overflows and redressable within the authority of the facility permittee.

9. The plan shall identify, by no later than the first new permit, permit renewal, or substantial permit revision application after December 21, 2025, all satellite collection systems connected to the facility collection system including the name of each satellite collection system, the ownership type of each identified satellite collection system, a unique identifier number for each satellite collection system, whether the satellite collection system is under the control of the facility, and population served by the satellite collection system, The plan shall describe the measures taken, if any, to require or encourage owners/operators of satellite collection systems to minimize inflow and infiltration from their satellite collection systems that cause or contribute to sanitary sewer overflows in the facility’s collection system.

10. The plan shall describe the resiliency of the collection/transmission systems that considers sea-level rise and the planned or completed flood mitigation and stormwater control actions, if any, by the facility permittee or governmental entities that the facility permittee identified as reducing the potential for inflow and infiltration into the facility permittee’s collection/transmission system.

(b) The facility permittee shall submit an annual report summarizing the collection system action plan implementation to the Department no later than June 30 of the year following the close of the fiscal year covered by the report. The report shall be submitted electronically to the applicable district office or delegated local program. The annual report shall address or include the following, at a minimum:

1. A summary of the collection/transmission system-related assessments (e.g. evaluations, investigations, studies, and surveys) conducted including the percentage of the collection/transmission system assessed during the year and the cumulative percentage investigated to date during the 5-year planning horizon of the collection system action plan; the methods used for the assessments; the results of the assessments; and any estimates of inflow, infiltration, and leakages.

2. Any repairs, replacements, maintenance activities, expansions and other upgrades, which the facility permittee identifies as significant, conducted during the year and planned for the upcoming year based on the performance and identified needs of the collection/transmission system.

3. After December 21, 2025, the identification of any new satellite collection systems added to the system including the name of each satellite collection system, the ownership-type of each satellite collection system, a unique identifier number for each satellite collection system, whether the satellite system is under the control of the facility, and the estimated population served by each satellite collection system..

4. Information regarding the annual expenditures dedicated to the inflow and infiltration studies and the collection system action plan; expenditures dedicated to pipe assessment, repair, and replacement; and expenditures designed to limit the presence of fats, oils, grease, roots, wet wipes, sand, and grit in the facility’s collection/transmission system.,

5. Details of facility revenues and expenditures including any substantial increase or decrease of annual expenditures from identified cost projections to address system needs related to inflow and infiltration studies; model plans for pipe assessment, repair, and replacement; and pipe assessment, repair, and replacement required or identified by the collection system action plan.

6.  Additional activities and information that the facility permittee identifies as relevant to the prevention of sanitary sewer overflows and underground pipe leakages, such as public education campaigns regarding the proper disposal of wet wipes, flood mitigation measures, stormwater control projects, and other relevant actions identified by the facility permittee.

(3) An applicant may use an alternative to a requirement in subsection 62-600.705(2). F.A.C., if the applicant:

(a) Demonstrates to the Department that the proposed alternative assures at least the same level of protection to the environment and public health; and,

(b) The alternative is submitted and approved with an application for a new facility permit, permit renewal, or substantial permit revision.

(4) Facility permittees meeting the stated goals of their pipe assessment, repair, and replacement action plans shall be eligible for ten year permits in accordance with Section 403.087, F.S.

(5) Substantial compliance with subsection 62-600.705(2), F.A.C., will be used as evidence in mitigation for the purposes of assessing penalties under Department rules.

(6) Owners/operators of publicly owned satellite collection systems with a flow of 100,000 gallons per day (gpd) or greater, or serving a population of 1000 or more, shall develop a collection system action plan in accordance with Rule 62-600.705, F.A.C. The plan shall be prepared no later than five years after (effective date of rule). The owner/operator of the satellite collection system shall notify the Department and the treatment facility which receives the satellite collection system’s flow when the plan has been prepared. This plan shall be reviewed annually by the owner/operator of the satellite collection system and updated at least every five years.  The plan shall be made available for inspection within 7 days of request by the Department.

Rulemaking Authority 403.051, 403.061, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088 FS. Law Implemented 403.021, 403.051, 403.061, 403.087, 403.088, 403.0881 FS. History–New XX-XX-XX.

62-600.720 Operation and Maintenance Manual.

(1) In accordance with Rule 62-620.630, F.A.C., permittees of newly constructed or modified domestic wastewater treatment plants and effluent disposal or reuse facilities shall provide notification to the Department that a draft operation and maintenance manual is available prior to placing the newly constructed or modified portion of the facility into operation. Within six months after placing the new or modified facilities into operation, the permittee shall provide notification that a current operation and maintenance manual is available. Permittees of existing domestic wastewater treatment plants and effluent disposal or reuse facilities shall maintain and make available for inspection copies of current operation and maintenance manuals for the facilities, in accordance with Rule 62-620.350, F.A.C. The manual shall provide for the reliable and efficient operation and maintenance of the facilities as follows:

(a) through (b) No change.

(c) The manual shall include a power outage contingency plan that mitigates the impacts of power outages on the utility’s collection system and pump stations.

(d) For permittees of domestic wastewater treatment facilities with a permitted flow of 500,000 gallons per day or greater, the emergency response plan portion of the manual shall address cybersecurity preparedness, response, and recovery in addition to other potential emergencies, and include a vulnerability assessment. Guidance to assist permittees in the preparation of the facility emergency response plan is provided in subsection 62-600.300(2), F.A.C. 

(c) through (e) renumbered (e) through (g) No change.

(2) through (5) No change.

Rulemaking Authority 403.051, 403.061, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088 FS. Law Implemented 403.021, 403.051, 403.061, 403.062, 403.085, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088 FS. History–New 11-27-89, Amended 1-30-91, 6-8-93, Formerly 17-600.720, Amended 12-24-96, 2-8-16,         .

62-600.735 Operation and Maintenance Performance Report.

(1) through (4) No change.

All applications to renew permits for treatment, reuse, or disposal facilities as required by Form 62-620.910(2), F.A.C., shall

(5) The collection system and the collection system action plan shall not be evaluated if unless treatment plant problems result from the operation of collection and transmission facilities (such as excessive infiltration/inflow, septic wastewater, introduction of toxic substances, or lack of controls on industrial wastewater discharges to the collection system).

(6) No change.

Rulemaking Authority 403.051, 403.061, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088 FS. Law Implemented 403.021, 403.051, 403.061, 403.087, 403.088 FS. History–New 1-30-91, Formerly 17-600.735, Amended 12-24-96, 2-8-16,         .

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Maurice Barker, Senior Program Analyst, Wastewater Management Program

NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Shawn Hamilton, Secretary

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: August 31, 2021

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: August 19, 2021