62-660.806. General Permit for Disposal of Fresh Citrus Fruit Wash Water

(1) General Requirements, Conditions and Applicability.

(a) This rule authorizes a general permit for any person constructing or operating a wastewater treatment and sprayfield land application effluent disposal system for wash water from fresh citrus fruit packinghouses as defined in paragraph 62-660.806(2)(c), F.A.C. This general permit applies to facilities that generate more than 5,000 gallons per day of wash water during the operating season, provided that all of the conditions of this rule are met. Ground water monitoring shall not be required for facilities covered under this rule.

(b) Any facility generating less than 5,000 gallons per day during the operating season is exempt from the requirement to obtain this General Permit or a Department industrial wastewater permit if all of the following requirements are met:

1. Wastewater is not discharged directly to surface waters or to ground waters through wells or sinkholes that allow direct contact with Class G-I, F-1 or G-II ground waters as defined in Chapter 62-520, F.A.C.;

2. The disposal of the facility’s wastewater does not cause or contribute to a violation of surface water and/or ground water quality standards;

3. There is a 100-foot setback between the wetted perimeter and the facility’s property boundary;

4. Best Management Practices (BMPs) are implemented to minimize ponding or runoff from the land application site and ensure proper maintenance of the sprayfield;

5. Records are maintained in accordance with subsection 62-660.806(6), F.A.C.

(c) This general permit is not applicable to fresh citrus packinghouses engaged in other auxiliary operations such as citrus juicing that commingle their waste streams with wash water. Facilities that utilize percolation ponds, other types of land application disposal, or a sprayfield type of land application not otherwise complying with the requirements of this rule, are not covered by this general permit. These facilities shall:

1. Obtain an individual wastewater permit in compliance with Chapter 62-620, F.A.C.;

2. Obtain a “Generic Permit for Discharges from Fresh Citrus Fruit Packinghouses to Percolation Ponds” in accordance with subsection 62-621.500(1), F.A.C.;

3. Meet the provisions of paragraph 62-660.806(1)(b), F.A.C.; or

4. Obtain an exemption from permitting pursuant to Rule 62-4.040, F.A.C.

(d) Facilities that discharge to a Department approved domestic wastewater collection system are not required to obtain an industrial wastewater permit and are not subject to the requirements of this rule. Refer to Chapter 62-604, F.A.C., Collection Systems and Transmission Facilities, for the need to obtain a permit under that chapter.

(e) This general permit does not relieve the permittee of the responsibility for obtaining any other permits required by the Department or any federal, state, local agency, or authority.

(f) This general permit shall be subject to the general conditions of Rule 62-4.540, F.A.C.

(g) The permittee shall complete and submit DEP Form 62-660.806(1)(g), Notification Form To Use General Permit For Land Application of Fresh Citrus Packinghouse Wash Water Effluent, effective May 10, 2005, which is adopted and incorporated herein by reference, and the information required by that form 30 days before use of this general permit. Form 62-660.806(1)(g) shall be signed and sealed by a professional engineer registered in the State of Florida in accordance with Chapter 471, F.S. This form may be obtained by contacting either the local Department District Office, by writing the Department of Environmental Protection, Industrial Wastewater Section, Mail Station #3545, 2600 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400 or from the Department’s website.

(h) Within 30 days after construction of a new facility being complete, the engineer of record or another registered Professional Engineer shall certify to the Department, using DEP Form 62-620.910(12), Industrial Wastewater Facilities Certificate of Completion of Construction, that the permitted construction is complete and usable and was done in accordance with the plans submitted to the Department except when minor deviations were necessary. These deviations and the reasons for them shall be described in detail.

(2) Definitions. Terms used in this rule shall have the meaning specified below:

(a) “Cull fruit” means citrus fruit that is removed from the packaging process because of damage or other reasons that make the citrus fruit unsuitable for packaging.

(b) “Existing fresh citrus fruit packinghouse” or “existing facility” means a packinghouse which was in operation on or before May 10, 2005.

(c) “Fresh citrus fruit packinghouse” or “facility” means a facility whose primary purpose is to wash, disinfect, sort, and package fresh citrus fruit and is assigned Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code 0723.

(d) “Land application site” means an area of land used for treatment and disposal of wash water and solids.

(e) “New fresh citrus fruit packinghouse” or “new facility” means a packinghouse which was constructed or placed into operation after May 10, 2005, or to an existing facility to which a substantial modification was made after May 10, 2005.

(f) “Operating season” is the period of operation for citrus packinghouse facilities.

(g) “Percolation pond” means an impoundment, either above or below the natural land surface that is designed to percolate wash water.

(h) “Private drinking water supply well” means a well serving private or multifamily water systems as defined in Rule 62-532.200, F.A.C.

(i) “Public drinking water supply well” means a well serving a public water system as defined in Rule 62-550.200, F.A.C.

(j) “Solids” means leaves, twigs and other objects.

(k) “Sprayfield” means a land application site where spray irrigation of a grass cover crop or a citrus grove is utilized for treatment and disposal of wash water at predetermined application rates necessary to prevent degradation of surface water and groundwater.

(l) “Wash water” means the water used to wash, disinfect, and apply a protective wax to fresh citrus fruit before packaging.

(3) Prohibitions.

(a) Discharge from any land application site to surface waters of the state is not authorized by this permit.

(b) Discharge from any land application site shall not cause or contribute to a violation of surface water and/or ground water quality standards.

(c) No discharge of wastes or wastewater other than wash water generated by the operations defined as fresh citrus fruit packinghouses in paragraph 62-660.806(2)(c), F.A.C., shall be disposed of in sprayfields authorized by this permit. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, stormwater, sanitary wastewater generated by employees of the facility, wastewater generated by washing or maintaining mobile equipment, or wastewater generated by ancillary operations.

(4) Solids Management.

(a) The permittee shall dispose of solids from the screening or sedimentation system with cull fruit in an approved landfill or solid waste facility. Alternatively, the permittee may apply solids to a land application site in accordance with subsection 62-660.806(5), F.A.C., below.

(b) Culled fruit shall be managed in such a manner that no contact stormwater shall be produced or discharged to the disposal system or waters of the State.

(5) Design and Operation Requirements.

(a) The hydraulic loading rate of the land application site shall be no more than 2.00 inches per week during the period of operation. The hydraulic loading rate shall not cause toxicity to the cover crop or have adverse impacts on the soil so as not to sustain a cover crop.

(b) The land application site shall be operated to prevent ponding or runoff.

(c) When the sprayfield land application site is in use, there shall be a minimum unsaturated depth to the seasonal high water table of 18 inches as determined by soil surveys and by a Professional Engineer or Professional Geologist. If there is not a minimum unsaturated depth of 18 inches, percolation tests shall be conducted at the site to assure that the proposed hydraulic loading rate will not cause ponding and that aerobic conditions will be maintained in the root zone. Results from the percolation tests shall be kept in accordance with subsection 62-660.806(6), F.A.C., below and provided to the Department upon request for coverage under this General Permit.

(d) A minimum storage capacity shall be provided to assure the retention of the wastewater under adverse weather conditions, harvesting conditions, maintenance of irrigation equipment, or other conditions that preclude land application. Storage capacity can be achieved through tanks or lined ponds. If the storage volume is not provided, the facility shall be capable of ceasing operation during wet weather. Application of wash water may continue during periods of rainfall provided all other conditions in subsection 62-660.806(5), F.A.C., are met. However, should ponding or runoff occur, the permittee shall cease operations or store wash water in tanks or lined ponds for land application during subsequent dry periods.

(e) All sprayfield land application sites shall maintain a minimum setback distance of 100 feet between the wetted perimeter and the property line.

(f) A minimum setback distance of 500 feet shall be maintained between the wetted perimeter and public drinking water supply wells existing prior to the date of initial coverage under this permit. In addition a minimum setback distance of 500 feet shall be maintained between the wetted perimeter and Class I & II surface waters.

(g) New facilities shall maintain a minimum setback distance of 75 feet between the wetted perimeter and private drinking water supply wells existing prior to the date of initial coverage under this permit.

(h) All land application sites shall be graded and bermed, as necessary, to prevent runoff of storm water resulting from all storm events up to and including a 10-year, 24-hour storm event.

(i) Spray nozzles shall be designed to provide uniform distribution of the wash water and to minimize spray drift off the land application site.

(j) The cover crop of grass or citrus fruit shall be sufficient to aid in maintaining aerobic conditions and infiltration rates, promoting plant uptake of nutrients, and providing for evapotranspirative consumption.

(k) Routine maintenance of spray heads, risers, or other distribution equipment shall be performed as needed to ensure optimal operation.

(l) The screening system or sedimentation system shall be designed and operated to filter out solids.

(m) The collection sewer and sump shall be designed and operated to prevent overflows.

(6) Recordkeeping.

(a) The permittee shall keep records of the number of days and the dates of operation of the land application site each year, the volume of wash water disposed of each week, and the amount of citrus fruit (in boxes, pounds, or tons) processed each week.

(b) The permittee shall keep records of the maintenance performed to ensure proper operation of the sprayfield, including at a minimum those in paragraph 62-660.806(5)(k), F.A.C., above.

(c) The permittee shall keep records of solids land applied on-site or transferred to other persons. The record shall include the approximate amount of solids applied on-site, or in case of transfers, recipient’s name and address, and location of disposal, if known.

(d) The records shall be kept for five years and made available to the Department upon request.

(7) Duty to Request Continued Coverage.

(a) Coverage under this general permit is limited to a term not to exceed five years from the effective date of coverage.

(b) The permittee may request continued coverage under this general permit in accordance with the requirements contained in paragraph 62-660.806(1)(g), F.A.C., above. Request for continued coverage shall be made at least 30 days before expiration of the current coverage.

Specific Authority 403.051, 403.814 FS. Law Implemented 120.55, 403.051, 403.061, 403.087, 403.088, 403.814 FS. History–New 5-10-05.