62-610.568. Monitoring and Operating Protocol

(1) Only acceptable quality reclaimed water shall be discharged to reuse systems regulated under Part V of this chapter.

(2) Reclaimed water limitations shall be met before injection to ground water or discharge to surface waters. For projects requiring high-level disinfection, the total suspended solids limitation shall be achieved before disinfection, regardless of the actual reclaimed water compliance monitoring location.

(3) The treatment facility shall include continuous on-line monitoring for turbidity before application of the disinfectant. Continuous monitoring for 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 shall be equipped with an automated data logging or recording device. Continuous online monitoring instruments shall be calibrated according to the requirements of Chapters 62-160 and 62-600, F.A.C. Continuous online monitoring instruments shall be maintained according to the manufacturer’s operation and maintenance instructions.

(4) Treatment facilities designed to meet the full treatment and disinfection requirements shall have the reclaimed water sampled and analyzed for TOC and TOX daily, seven days per week.

(5) Treatment facilities that are required to meet the drinking water standards shall sample the reclaimed water for parameters regulated as drinking water standards as follows:

(a) If the treatment facility is required to meet the bacteriological requirements of the drinking water standards, total coliforms and total suspended solids shall be analyzed daily.

(b) Parameters listed as primary drinking water standards that are imposed as reclaimed water limits shall be analyzed monthly. After the first year, the Department shall reduce the monitoring frequency if the applicant provides an affirmative demonstration that reclaimed water limits and ground water standards will be met and that public health will be protected. In no case shall the frequency of this monitoring be reduced below quarterly.

(c) Parameters listed as secondary drinking water standards that are imposed as reclaimed water limits shall be analyzed quarterly. After the first year, the Department shall reduce the monitoring frequency if the applicant provides an affirmative demonstration that reclaimed water limits and ground water standards will be met and that public health will be protected. In no case shall the frequency of this monitoring be reduced below annually. The pH of the reclaimed water shall be analyzed daily.

(d) Except for total coliforms and pH, twenty-four hour composite samples shall be used to analyze the reclaimed water for parameters listed as primary or secondary drinking water standards.

(6) Other reclaimed water monitoring shall meet the requirements of Chapter 62-600, F.A.C.

(7) 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 reclaimed water limitations will be met before the reclaimed water is released to the reuse system. For treatment facilities required to provide full treatment and disinfection, the operating protocol shall include monitoring and control of key treatment processes for removal of organic compounds required by subsection 62-610.563(3), F.A.C., and shall incorporate the fail safe “lock-out” provisions of subsection 62-610.567(2), F.A.C. In the engineering report, the applicant shall describe and justify the operational controls on the key treatment processes for removal of organic compounds. Reclaimed water produced at the treatment facility that fails to meet the criteria established in the operating protocol shall not be released to the system storage or 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. The operating protocol shall be reviewed and updated by the permittee as required by Rule 62-610.320, F.A.C. The permittee shall submit the current operating protocol to the Department for review with any application to renew or modify the permit.

(8) Ground water monitoring requirements shall be as specified in Rule 62-610.412, F.A.C. A ground water monitoring plan meeting the requirements of Chapters 62-520, 62-600, and 62-610, F.A.C., is required. Submittal and approval of ground water monitoring plans shall be in accordance with Rule 62-520.600, F.A.C. Department approval of the ground water monitoring plan is a prerequisite for issuance of the initial permit.

(9) The surface water or ground water receiving the reclaimed water shall be sampled quarterly for the parameters for which primary or secondary drinking water standards have been established. After the first year of operation, the Department shall reduce the sampling frequency if the applicant provides an affirmative demonstration that water quality standards will be met in the receiving surface water or ground water and that public health will be protected. For ground water recharge projects, reductions in monitoring shall be considered only after the injected reclaimed water reaches a monitoring well. The complete list of all regulated parameters shall be sampled and analyzed for at least annually.

(10) Except as noted in subsection 62-610.568(11), F.A.C., the permittee shall sample the reclaimed water for Cryptosporidium and Giardia. The following requirements shall be met:

(a) Sampling shall be conducted quarterly. Intervals between sampling shall not exceed three months. The sample results shall be submitted to the Department on or before February 28, May 28, August 28, and November 28 of each 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).

(b) Samples shall be taken at a point immediately following the final treatment or disinfection process within the treatment facility.

(c) Sampling for Cryptosporidium and Giardia shall be required only for the following types of projects:

1. Discharge to Class I surface waters, as described in Rule 62-610.554, F.A.C.

2. Discharge to waters contiguous to or tributary to Class I surface waters, as described in subsection 62-610.555(1), F.A.C.

3. Injection projects used for ground water recharge or salinity barrier control, as described in Rule 62-610.560 or 62-610.562, F.A.C.

4. Discharges to surface waters that are directly connected to ground water, which serve as ground water recharge, as described in subsection 62-610.555(4), F.A.C.

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

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

(f) 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 taken. In addition, the permittee shall record the lowest total residual chlorine observed during the period when pathogen samples are collected.

(g) 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., for reclaimed water or nonpotable waters, adjusted appropriately to accommodate the detection limit requirements, shall be used. Methods previously allowed for EPA’s 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 in 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 Rule 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.

(h) 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).

(11) For projects involving discharge to waters upstream of Class I surface waters, as described in subsection 62-610.555(2), F.A.C., the permittee shall sample the reclaimed water for Cryptosporidium and Giardia. The following requirements shall be met:

(a) Sampling shall be conducted at one time during each two-year period. Intervals between sampling shall not exceed two years. The sample results shall be submitted to the Department on or before November 28 of each even numbered 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).

(b) 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 taken. 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., for reclaimed water or nonpotable waters, adjusted appropriately to accommodate the detection limit requirements, shall be used. Methods previously allowed for EPA’s 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 in 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 July 2021), 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 July 2021), 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 the sample collections 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, 403.064, 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 17-610.568, Amended 1-9-96, 8-8-99, 11-19-07, 8-8-21.