Florida Senate - 2017                                    SB 1438
       
       
        
       By Senator Broxson
       
       
       
       
       
       1-00414A-17                                           20171438__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to aquifer replenishment; amending s.
    3         403.087, F.S.; requiring additional permit conditions
    4         for projects involving certain underground injection;
    5         creating s. 403.0878, F.S.; authorizing the Department
    6         of Environmental Protection to develop specific rule
    7         criteria for advanced water treatment; authorizing the
    8         department to establish additional conditions for the
    9         construction of advanced water treatment facilities
   10         and underground injection under certain circumstances;
   11         providing an effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Subsection (4) of section 403.087, Florida
   16  Statutes, is amended to read:
   17         403.087 Permits; general issuance; denial; revocation;
   18  prohibition; penalty.—
   19         (4) The department shall issue permits on such conditions
   20  as are necessary to effect the intent and purposes of this
   21  section. For underground injection intended to protect, augment,
   22  or replenish the state’s ground water resources, such permits
   23  must also include additional conditions, including the
   24  establishment of a zone of discharge for groundwater standards
   25  and any associated institutional controls necessary to uphold
   26  the policies established in s. 373.016 to promote the
   27  conservation, reclamation, and sustainability of the state’s
   28  ground water resources.
   29         Section 2. Section 403.0878, Florida Statutes, is created
   30  to read:
   31         403.0878 Criteria for sustainable water resources.—The
   32  Legislature recognizes that communities are providing advanced
   33  water treatment for reclaimed water, stormwater, and other water
   34  resources as a means of promoting the availability of sufficient
   35  water for existing and future reasonable-beneficial uses and
   36  natural systems in accordance with chapter 373. In order to
   37  acknowledge and provide incentives for such beneficial treatment
   38  facilities, the department may develop by rule specific criteria
   39  for operation permits for such advanced water treatment
   40  facilities. Any such criteria must consider, at a minimum, the
   41  intended water use or uses; conditions that may be specifically
   42  applicable to the treatment of reclaimed water, stormwater, or
   43  excess surface water, as applicable; and requirements for
   44  providing monitoring, protection, augmentation, or replenishment
   45  of the state’s water resources consistent with chapter 373. The
   46  authorized use of reclaimed water by advanced water treatment
   47  facilities under this section satisfies any requirement to
   48  implement a reuse project as part of a reuse program under s.
   49  403.064, and must be given significant consideration by the
   50  appropriate water management district in an analysis of the
   51  economic, environmental, and technical feasibility of providing
   52  reclaimed water for reuse under part II of chapter 373. The
   53  department may establish by rule any necessary additional
   54  conditions that may be imposed on permits for the construction
   55  of advanced water treatment facilities and underground
   56  injection, for the purpose of monitoring, protecting,
   57  augmenting, or replenishing the state’s water resources.
   58         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.