In addition to our Legislative Action Recommendations, the Clean Water Coalition of Indian River County (CWC) and Brevard Indian River Lagoon Coalition recognizes the need for stricter regulation in the following areas:
Sewage Treatment & Transmission:
It is recommended that all Utilities be required to have an Asset Management Plan to ensure that equipment and infrastructure are kept in good repair. Capacity planning must accommodate anticipated growth and effluent concentrations generated by pump outs during routine inspection.
A penalty system for sewage spills must be designed that forces utilities to make the necessary expansion or repair to prevent repeat offences.
All newly permitted septic systems that are located on a barrier island or within 60 meters of any impaired waterbody system shoreline including natural or manmade tributaries, and within 40 meters of all other waterbodies should be required to be an advanced treatment system capable of removing a minimum of 65% of the nitrogen loading. (example: Brevard County)
Existing septic systems need to be inspected every 5 years to ensure they are functioning properly and being adequately maintained to prevent surface and groundwater contamination.
Repairs of pre-1983 septic systems must be corrected to provide 24” separation between the drainfield and the high-water table or be replace with an advanced treatment system capable of removing 50% of the N loading.
Stormwater Regulation
The March 2010 Draft “Design Requirements for Stormwater Treatment Systems in Florida” should be seriously considered for Statewide implementation.
Marine Sewage Discharge
Sufficient funding should be provided to Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission to post notice and enforce the State’s Marine No Discharge Regulation to prevent dumping of sewage into our waters by transient and live-aboard boaters. Marinas must support the law by performing routine pump outs for all lessees.
Basin Management Action Plans (BMAP)
Every State watershed not in compliance with Clean Water Act standards be required to develop and implement a BMAP with Total Maximum Daily Load reduction for Nitrogen, Phosphorus and sediments. The State must assign responsibilities and deadline and provide funding for sufficient, on site, real time monitoring and testing to ensure compliance. There should be NO exceptions to the TMDL’s, including agricultural lands within the respective watershed. Sea Level Rise must be calculated into the TMDL process in all BMAPs.
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