1381.0065 Onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems; regulation.—
(1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.—
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that proper management of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems is paramount to the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that where a publicly owned or investor-owned sewerage system is not available, the department shall issue permits for the construction, installation, modification, abandonment, or repair of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems under conditions as described in this section and rules adopted under this section. It is further the intent of the Legislature that the installation and use of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems not adversely affect the public health or significantly degrade the groundwater or surface water.
(a) “Available,” as applied to a publicly owned or investor-owned sewerage system, means that the publicly owned or investor-owned sewerage system is capable of being connected to the plumbing of an establishment or residence, is not under a Department of Environmental Protection moratorium, and has adequate permitted capacity to accept the sewage to be generated by the establishment or residence; and:
1. For a residential subdivision lot, a single-family residence, or an establishment, any of which has an estimated sewage flow of 1,000 gallons per day or less, a gravity sewer line to maintain gravity flow from the property’s drain to the sewer line, or a low pressure or vacuum sewage collection line in those areas approved for low pressure or vacuum sewage collection, exists in a public easement or right-of-way that abuts the property line of the lot, residence, or establishment.
2. For an establishment with an estimated sewage flow exceeding 1,000 gallons per day, a sewer line, force main, or lift station exists in a public easement or right-of-way that abuts the property of the establishment or is within 50 feet of the property line of the establishment as accessed via existing rights-of-way or easements.
3. For proposed residential subdivisions with more than 50 lots, for proposed commercial subdivisions with more than 5 lots, and for areas zoned or used for an industrial or manufacturing purpose or its equivalent, a sewerage system exists within one-fourth mile of the development as measured and accessed via existing easements or rights-of-way.
4. For repairs or modifications within areas zoned or used for an industrial or manufacturing purpose or its equivalent, a sewerage system exists within 500 feet of an establishment’s or residence’s sewer stub-out as measured and accessed via existing rights-of-way or easements.
(b)1. “Bedroom” means a room that can be used for sleeping and that:
a. For site-built dwellings, has a minimum of 70 square feet of conditioned space;
b. For manufactured homes, is constructed according to the standards of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and has a minimum of 50 square feet of floor area;
c. Is located along an exterior wall;
d. Has a closet and a door or an entrance where a door could be reasonably installed; and
e. Has an emergency means of escape and rescue opening to the outside in accordance with the Florida Building Code.
2. A room may not be considered a bedroom if it is used to access another room except a bathroom or closet.
3. “Bedroom” does not include a hallway, bathroom, kitchen, living room, family room, dining room, den, breakfast nook, pantry, laundry room, sunroom, recreation room, media/video room, or exercise room.
(c) “Blackwater” means that part of domestic sewage carried off by toilets, urinals, and kitchen drains.
(d) “Department” means the Department of Environmental Protection.
(e) “Domestic sewage” means human body waste and wastewater, including bath and toilet waste, residential laundry waste, residential kitchen waste, and other similar waste from appurtenances at a residence or establishment.
(f) “Enhanced nutrient-reducing onsite sewage treatment and disposal system” means an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system approved by the department as capable of meeting or exceeding a 50 percent total nitrogen reduction before disposal of wastewater in the drainfield, or at least 65 percent total nitrogen reduction combined from the onsite sewage tank or tanks and drainfield.
(g) “Graywater” means that part of domestic sewage that is not blackwater, including waste from the bath, lavatory, laundry, and sink, except kitchen sink waste.
(h) “Florida Keys” means those islands of the state located within the boundaries of Monroe County.
(i) “Injection well” means an open vertical hole at least 90 feet in depth, cased and grouted to at least 60 feet in depth which is used to dispose of effluent from an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system.
(j) “Innovative system” means an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system that, in whole or in part, employs materials, devices, or techniques that are novel or unique and that have not been successfully field-tested under sound scientific and engineering principles under climatic and soil conditions found in this state.
(k) “Lot” means a parcel or tract of land described by reference to recorded plats or by metes and bounds, or the least fractional part of subdivided lands having limited fixed boundaries or an assigned number, letter, or any other legal description by which it can be identified.
(l) “Mean annual flood line” means the elevation determined by calculating the arithmetic mean of the elevations of the highest yearly flood stage or discharge for the period of record, to include at least the most recent 10-year period. If at least 10 years of data is not available, the mean annual flood line shall be as determined based upon the data available and field verification conducted by a certified professional surveyor and mapper with experience in the determination of flood water elevation lines or, at the option of the applicant, by department personnel. Field verification of the mean annual flood line shall be performed using a combination of those indicators listed in subparagraphs 1.-7. that are present on the site, and that reflect flooding that recurs on an annual basis. In those situations where any one or more of these indicators reflect a rare or aberrant event, such indicator or indicators shall not be utilized in determining the mean annual flood line. The indicators that may be considered are:
1. Water stains on the ground surface, trees, and other fixed objects;
2. Hydric adventitious roots;
3. Drift lines;
4. Rafted debris;
5. Aquatic mosses and liverworts;
6. Moss collars; and
7. Lichen lines.
(m) “Onsite sewage treatment and disposal system” means a system that contains a standard subsurface, filled, or mound drainfield system; an aerobic treatment unit; a graywater system tank; a laundry wastewater system tank; a septic tank; a grease interceptor; a pump tank; a solids or effluent pump; a waterless, incinerating, or organic waste-composting toilet; or a sanitary pit privy that is installed or proposed to be installed beyond the building sewer on land of the owner or on other land to which the owner has the legal right to install a system. The term includes any item placed within, or intended to be used as a part of or in conjunction with, the system. This term does not include package sewage treatment facilities and other treatment works regulated under chapter 403.
(n) “Permanent nontidal surface water body” means a perennial stream, a perennial river, an intermittent stream, a perennial lake, a submerged marsh or swamp, a submerged wooded marsh or swamp, a spring, or a seep, as identified on the most recent quadrangle map, 7.5 minute series (topographic), produced by the United States Geological Survey, or products derived from that series. “Permanent nontidal surface water body” shall also mean an artificial surface water body that does not have an impermeable bottom and side and that is designed to hold, or does hold, visible standing water for at least 180 days of the year. However, a nontidal surface water body that is drained, either naturally or artificially, where the intent or the result is that such drainage be temporary, shall be considered a permanent nontidal surface water body. A nontidal surface water body that is drained of all visible surface water, where the lawful intent or the result of such drainage is that such drainage will be permanent, shall not be considered a permanent nontidal surface water body. The boundary of a permanent nontidal surface water body shall be the mean annual flood line.
(o) “Potable water line” means any water line that is connected to a potable water supply source, but the term does not include an irrigation line with any of the following types of backflow devices:
1. For irrigation systems into which chemicals are not injected, any atmospheric or pressure vacuum breaker or double check valve or any detector check assembly.
2. For irrigation systems into which chemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides are injected, any reduced pressure backflow preventer.
(p) “Septage” means a mixture of sludge, fatty materials, human feces, and wastewater removed during the pumping of an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system.
(q) “Subdivision” means, for residential use, any tract or plot of land divided into two or more lots or parcels of which at least one is 1 acre or less in size for sale, lease, or rent. A subdivision for commercial or industrial use is any tract or plot of land divided into two or more lots or parcels of which at least one is 5 acres or less in size and which is for sale, lease, or rent. A subdivision shall be deemed to be proposed until such time as an application is submitted to the local government for subdivision approval or, in those areas where no local government subdivision approval is required, until such time as a plat of the subdivision is recorded.
(r) “Tidally influenced surface water body” means a body of water that is subject to the ebb and flow of the tides and has as its boundary a mean high-water line as defined by s. 177.27(15).
(s) “Toxic or hazardous chemical” means a substance that poses a serious danger to human health or the environment.
(3) DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.—The department shall:
(a) Adopt rules to administer ss. 381.0065-381.0067, including definitions that are consistent with the definitions in this section, increases for the lot-flow allowance for performance-based systems, requirements for separation from water table elevation during the wettest season, requirements for the design and construction of any component part of an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system, application and permit requirements for persons who maintain an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system, requirements for maintenance and service agreements for aerobic treatment units and performance-based treatment systems, and recommended standards, including disclosure requirements, for voluntary system inspections to be performed by individuals who are authorized by law to perform such inspections and who shall inform a person having ownership, control, or use of an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system of the inspection standards and of that person’s authority to request an inspection based on all or part of the standards.
(b) Perform application reviews and site evaluations, issue permits, and conduct inspections and complaint investigations associated with the construction, installation, maintenance, modification, abandonment, operation, use, or repair of an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system for a residence or establishment with an estimated domestic sewage flow of 10,000 gallons or less per day, or an estimated commercial sewage flow of 5,000 gallons or less per day, which is not currently regulated under chapter 403.
(c) Develop a comprehensive program to ensure that onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems regulated by the department are sized, designed, constructed, installed, sited, repaired, modified, abandoned, used, operated, and maintained in compliance with this section and rules adopted under this section to prevent groundwater contamination, including impacts from nutrient pollution, and surface water contamination and to preserve the public health. The department is the final administrative interpretive authority regarding rule interpretation. In the event of a conflict regarding rule interpretation, the Secretary of Environmental Protection, or his or her designee, shall timely assign a staff person to resolve the dispute.
(d) Grant variances in hardship cases under the conditions prescribed in this section and rules adopted under this section.
(e) Permit the use of a limited number of innovative systems for a specific period of time, when there is compelling evidence that the system will function properly and reliably to meet the requirements of this section and rules adopted under this section.
(f) Issue annual operating permits under this section.
(g) Establish and collect fees as established under s. 381.0066 for services provided with respect to onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems.
(h) Conduct enforcement activities in accordance with part I of chapter 403, for violations of this section, part I of chapter 386, or part III of chapter 489 or for a violation of any rule adopted by the department under this section, part I of chapter 386, or part III of chapter 489. All references to part I of chapter 386 in this section relate solely to nuisances involving improperly built or maintained septic tanks or other onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems, and untreated or improperly treated or transported waste from onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems. The department shall have all the duties and authorities of the Department of Health in part I of chapter 386 for nuisances involving onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems. The department’s authority under part I of chapter 386 is in addition to and may be pursued independently of or simultaneously with the enforcement remedies provided under this section and chapter 403.
(i) Provide or conduct education and training of department personnel, service providers, and the public regarding onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems.
(j) Supervise research on, demonstration of, and training on the performance, environmental impact, and public health impact of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems within this state. Research fees collected under s. 381.0066(2)(k) must be used to develop and fund hands-on training centers designed to provide practical information about onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems to septic tank contractors, master septic tank contractors, contractors, inspectors, engineers, and the public and must also be used to fund research projects which focus on improvements of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems, including use of performance-based standards and reduction of environmental impact. Research projects shall be applicable to and reflect the soil conditions specific to this state. Such projects shall be awarded through competitive negotiation, using the procedures provided in s. 287.055, to public or private entities that have experience in onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems in this state and that are principally located in this state.
(k) Approve the installation of individual graywater disposal systems in which blackwater is treated by a central sewerage system.
(l) Regulate and permit the sanitation, handling, treatment, storage, reuse, and disposal of byproducts from any system regulated under this chapter.
(m) Permit and inspect portable or temporary toilet services and holding tanks. The department shall review applications, perform site evaluations, and issue permits for the temporary use of holding tanks, privies, portable toilet services, or any other toilet facility that is intended for use on a permanent or nonpermanent basis, including facilities placed on construction sites when workers are present. The department may specify standards for the construction, maintenance, use, and operation of any such facility for temporary use.
(n) Regulate and permit maintenance entities for performance-based treatment systems and aerobic treatment unit systems. To ensure systems are maintained and operated according to manufacturer’s specifications and designs, the department shall establish by rule minimum qualifying criteria for maintenance entities. The criteria shall include training, access to approved spare parts and components, access to manufacturer’s maintenance and operation manuals, and service response time. The maintenance entity shall employ a contractor licensed under s. 489.105(3)(m), or part III of chapter 489, or a state-licensed wastewater plant operator, who is responsible for maintenance and repair of all systems under contract.
(o) Adopt rules establishing and implementing a program of general permits for this section for projects, or categories of projects, which have, individually or cumulatively, a minimal adverse impact on public health or the environment. Such rules must:
1. Specify design or performance criteria which, if applied, would result in compliance with appropriate standards; and
2. Authorize a person who complies with the general permit eligibility requirements to use the permit 30 days after giving notice to the department without any agency action by the department. Within the 30-day notice period, the department shall determine whether the activity qualifies for a general permit. If the activity does not qualify or the notice does not contain all the required information, the department must notify the person.
(4) PERMITS; INSTALLATION; CONDITIONS.—A person may not construct, repair, modify, abandon, or operate an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system without first obtaining a permit approved by the department. The department may issue permits to carry out this section, except that the issuance of a permit for work seaward of the coastal construction control line established under s. 161.053 shall be contingent upon receipt of any required coastal construction control line permit from the department. A construction permit is valid for 18 months after the date of issuance and may be extended by the department for one 90-day period under rules adopted by the department. A repair permit is valid for 90 days after the date of issuance. An operating permit must be obtained before the use of any aerobic treatment unit or if the establishment generates commercial waste. Buildings or establishments that use an aerobic treatment unit or generate commercial waste shall be inspected by the department at least annually to assure compliance with the terms of the operating permit. The operating permit for a commercial wastewater system is valid for 1 year after the date of issuance and must be renewed annually. The operating permit for an aerobic treatment unit is valid for 2 years after the date of issuance and must be renewed every 2 years. If all information pertaining to the siting, location, and installation conditions or repair of an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system remains the same, a construction or repair permit for the onsite sewage treatment and disposal system may be transferred to another person, if the transferee files, within 60 days after the transfer of ownership, an amended application providing all corrected information and proof of ownership of the property. A fee is not associated with the processing of this supplemental information. A person may not contract to construct, modify, alter, repair, service, abandon, or maintain any portion of an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system without being registered under part III of chapter 489. A property owner who personally performs construction, maintenance, or repairs to a system serving his or her own owner-occupied single-family residence is exempt from registration requirements for performing such construction, maintenance, or repairs on that residence, but is subject to all permitting requirements. A municipality or political subdivision of the state may not issue a building or plumbing permit for any building that requires the use of an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system unless the owner or builder has received a construction permit for such system from the department. A building or structure may not be occupied and a municipality, political subdivision, or any state or federal agency may not authorize occupancy until the department approves the final installation of the onsite sewage treatment and disposal system. A municipality or political subdivision of the state may not approve any change in occupancy or tenancy of a building that uses an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system until the department has reviewed the use of the system with the proposed change, approved the change, and amended the operating permit.
(a) Subdivisions and lots in which each lot has a minimum area of at least one-half acre and either a minimum dimension of 100 feet or a mean of at least 100 feet of the side bordering the street and the distance formed by a line parallel to the side bordering the street drawn between the two most distant points of the remainder of the lot may be developed with a water system regulated under s. 381.0062 and onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems, provided the projected daily sewage flow does not exceed an average of 1,500 gallons per acre per day, and provided satisfactory drinking water can be obtained and all distance and setback, soil condition, water table elevation, and other related requirements of this section and rules adopted under this section can be met.
(b) Subdivisions and lots using a public water system as defined in s. 403.852 may use onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems, provided there are no more than four lots per acre, provided the projected daily sewage flow does not exceed an average of 2,500 gallons per acre per day, and provided that all distance and setback, soil condition, water table elevation, and other related requirements that are generally applicable to the use of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems are met.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b), for subdivisions platted of record on or before October 1, 1991, when a developer or other appropriate entity has previously made or makes provisions, including financial assurances or other commitments, acceptable to the department, that a central water system will be installed by a regulated public utility based on a density formula, private potable wells may be used with onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems until the agreed-upon densities are reached. In a subdivision regulated by this paragraph, the average daily sewage flow may not exceed 2,500 gallons per acre per day. This section does not affect the validity of existing prior agreements. After October 1, 1991, the exception provided under this paragraph is not available to a developer or other appropriate entity.
(d) Paragraphs (a) and (b) do not apply to any proposed residential subdivision with more than 50 lots or to any proposed commercial subdivision with more than 5 lots where a publicly owned or investor-owned sewage treatment system is available. This paragraph does not allow development of additional proposed subdivisions in order to evade the requirements of this paragraph.
(e) The department shall adopt rules relating to the location of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems, including establishing setback distances, to prevent groundwater contamination and surface water contamination and to preserve the public health. The rules must consider conventional and enhanced nutrient-reducing onsite sewage treatment and disposal system designs, impaired or degraded water bodies, domestic wastewater and drinking water infrastructure, potable water sources, nonpotable wells, stormwater infrastructure, the onsite sewage treatment and disposal system remediation plans developed pursuant to s. 403.067(7)(a)9.b., nutrient pollution, and the recommendations of the onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems technical advisory committee established pursuant to former s. 381.00652. The rules must also allow a person to apply for and receive a variance from a rule requirement upon demonstration that the requirement would cause an undue hardship and granting the variance would not cause or contribute to the exceedance of a total maximum daily load.
(f) Onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems that are permitted before June 21, 2022, may not be placed closer than:
1. Seventy-five feet from a private potable well.
2. Two hundred feet from a public potable well serving a residential or nonresidential establishment having a total sewage flow of greater than 2,000 gallons per day.
3. One hundred feet from a public potable well serving a residential or nonresidential establishment having a total sewage flow of less than or equal to 2,000 gallons per day.
4. Fifty feet from any nonpotable well.
5. Ten feet from any storm sewer pipe, to the maximum extent possible, but in no instance shall the setback be less than 5 feet.
6. Seventy-five feet from the mean high-water line of a tidally influenced surface water body.
7. Seventy-five feet from the mean annual flood line of a permanent nontidal surface water body.
8. Fifteen feet from the design high-water line of retention areas, detention areas, or swales designed to contain standing or flowing water for less than 72 hours after a rainfall or the design high-water level of normally dry drainage ditches or normally dry individual lot stormwater retention areas.
(g) This section and rules adopted under this section relating to soil condition, water table elevation, distance, and other setback requirements must be equally applied to all lots, with the following exceptions:
1. Any residential lot that was platted and recorded on or after January 1, 1972, or that is part of a residential subdivision that was approved by the appropriate permitting agency on or after January 1, 1972, and that was eligible for an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system construction permit on the date of such platting and recording or approval shall be eligible for an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system construction permit, regardless of when the application for a permit is made. If rules in effect at the time the permit application is filed cannot be met, residential lots platted and recorded or approved on or after January 1, 1972, shall, to the maximum extent possible, comply with the rules in effect at the time the permit application is filed. At a minimum, however, those residential lots platted and recorded or approved on or after January 1, 1972, but before January 1, 1983, shall comply with those rules in effect on January 1, 1983, and those residential lots platted and recorded or approved on or after January 1, 1983, shall comply with those rules in effect at the time of such platting and recording or approval. In determining the maximum extent of compliance with current rules that is possible, the department shall allow structures and appurtenances thereto which were authorized at the time such lots were platted and recorded or approved.
2. Lots platted before 1972 are subject to a 50-foot minimum surface water setback and are not subject to lot size requirements. The projected daily flow for onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems for lots platted before 1972 may not exceed:
a. Two thousand five hundred gallons per acre per day for lots served by public water systems as defined in s. 403.852.
b. One thousand five hundred gallons per acre per day for lots served by water systems regulated under s. 381.0062.
(h)1. The department may grant variances in hardship cases which may be less restrictive than the provisions specified in this section. If a variance is granted and the onsite sewage treatment and disposal system construction permit has been issued, the variance may be transferred with the system construction permit, if the transferee files, within 60 days after the transfer of ownership, an amended construction permit application providing all corrected information and proof of ownership of the property and if the same variance would have been required for the new owner of the property as was originally granted to the original applicant for the variance. A fee is not associated with the processing of this supplemental information. A variance may not be granted under this section until the department is satisfied that:
a. The hardship was not caused intentionally by the action of the applicant;
b. A reasonable alternative, taking into consideration factors such as cost, does not exist for the treatment of the sewage; and
c. The discharge from the onsite sewage treatment and disposal system will not adversely affect the health of the applicant or the public or significantly degrade the groundwater or surface waters.
Where soil conditions, water table elevation, and setback provisions are determined by the department to be satisfactory, special consideration must be given to those lots platted before 1972.
2. The department shall appoint and staff a variance review and advisory committee, which shall meet monthly to recommend agency action on variance requests. The committee shall make its recommendations on variance requests at the meeting in which the application is scheduled for consideration, except for an extraordinary change in circumstances, the receipt of new information that raises new issues, or when the applicant requests an extension. The committee shall consider the criteria in subparagraph 1. in its recommended agency action on variance requests and shall also strive to allow property owners the full use of their land where possible.
a. The committee is composed of the following:
(I) The Secretary of Environmental Protection or his or her designee.
(II) A representative from the county health departments.
(III) A representative from the home building industry recommended by the Florida Home Builders Association.
(IV) A representative from the septic tank industry recommended by the Florida Onsite Wastewater Association.
(V) A representative from the Department of Health.
(VI) A representative from the real estate industry who is also a developer in this state who develops lots using onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems, recommended by the Florida Association of Realtors.
(VII) A representative from the engineering profession recommended by the Florida Engineering Society.
b. Members shall be appointed for a term of 3 years, with such appointments being staggered so that the terms of no more than two members expire in any one year. Members shall serve without remuneration, but if requested, shall be reimbursed for per diem and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061.
3. The variance review and advisory committee is not responsible for reviewing water well permitting. However, the committee shall consider all requirements of law related to onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems when making recommendations on variance requests for onsite sewage treatment and disposal system permits.
(i) A construction permit may not be issued for an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system in any area zoned or used for industrial or manufacturing purposes, or its equivalent, where a publicly owned or investor-owned sewage treatment system is available, or where a likelihood exists that the system will receive toxic, hazardous, or industrial waste. An existing onsite sewage treatment and disposal system may be repaired if a publicly owned or investor-owned sewage treatment system is not available within 500 feet of the building sewer stub-out and if system construction and operation standards can be met. This paragraph does not require publicly owned or investor-owned sewage treatment systems to accept anything other than domestic wastewater.
1. A building located in an area zoned or used for industrial or manufacturing purposes, or its equivalent, when such building is served by an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system, must not be occupied until the owner or tenant has obtained written approval from the department. The department may not grant approval when the proposed use of the system is to dispose of toxic, hazardous, or industrial wastewater or toxic or hazardous chemicals.
2. Each person who owns or operates a business or facility in an area zoned or used for industrial or manufacturing purposes, or its equivalent, or who owns or operates a business that has the potential to generate toxic, hazardous, or industrial wastewater or toxic or hazardous chemicals, and uses an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system that is installed on or after July 5, 1989, must obtain an annual system operating permit from the department. A person who owns or operates a business that uses an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system that was installed and approved before July 5, 1989, does not need to obtain a system operating permit. However, upon change of ownership or tenancy, the new owner or operator must notify the department of the change, and the new owner or operator must obtain an annual system operating permit, regardless of the date that the system was installed or approved.
3. The department shall periodically review and evaluate the continued use of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems in areas zoned or used for industrial or manufacturing purposes, or its equivalent, and may require the collection and analyses of samples from within and around such systems. If the department finds that toxic or hazardous chemicals or toxic, hazardous, or industrial wastewater have been or are being disposed of through an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system, the department shall initiate enforcement actions against the owner or tenant to ensure adequate cleanup, treatment, and disposal.
(j) An onsite sewage treatment and disposal system designed by a professional engineer registered in the state and certified by such engineer as complying with performance criteria adopted by the department must be approved by the department subject to the following:
1. The performance criteria applicable to engineer-designed systems must be limited to those necessary to ensure that such systems do not adversely affect the public health or significantly degrade the groundwater or surface water. Such performance criteria shall include consideration of the quality of system effluent, the proposed total sewage flow per acre, wastewater treatment capabilities of the natural or replaced soil, water quality classification of the potential surface-water-receiving body, and the structural and maintenance viability of the system for the treatment of domestic wastewater. However, performance criteria shall address only the performance of a system and not a system’s design.
2. A person electing to use an engineer-designed system shall, upon completion of the system design, submit such design, certified by a registered professional engineer, to the county health department. The county health department may use an outside consultant to review the engineer-designed system, with the actual cost of such review to be borne by the applicant. Within 5 working days after receiving an engineer-designed system permit application, the county health department shall request additional information if the application is not complete. Within 15 working days after receiving a complete application for an engineer-designed system, the county health department shall issue the permit or, if it determines that the system does not comply with the performance criteria, shall notify the applicant of that determination and refer the application to the department for a determination as to whether the system should be approved, disapproved, or approved with modification. The department engineer’s determination shall prevail over the action of the county health department. The applicant shall be notified in writing of the department’s determination and of the applicant’s rights to pursue a variance or seek review under the provisions of chapter 120.
3. The owner of an engineer-designed performance-based system must maintain a current maintenance service agreement with a maintenance entity permitted by the department. The maintenance entity shall inspect each system at least twice each year and shall report quarterly to the department on the number of systems inspected and serviced. The reports may be submitted electronically.
4. The property owner of an owner-occupied, single-family residence may be approved and permitted by the department as a maintenance entity for his or her own performance-based treatment system upon written certification from the system manufacturer’s approved representative that the property owner has received training on the proper installation and service of the system. The maintenance service agreement must conspicuously disclose that the property owner has the right to maintain his or her own system and is exempt from contractor registration requirements for performing construction, maintenance, or repairs on the system but is subject to all permitting requirements.
5. The property owner shall obtain a biennial system operating permit from the department for each system. The department shall inspect the system at least annually, or on such periodic basis as the fee collected permits, and may collect system-effluent samples if appropriate to determine compliance with the performance criteria. The fee for the biennial operating permit shall be collected beginning with the second year of system operation.
6. If an engineer-designed system fails to properly function or fails to meet performance standards, the system shall be re-engineered, if necessary, to bring the system into compliance with the provisions of this section.
(k) An innovative system may be approved in conjunction with an engineer-designed site-specific system that is certified by the engineer to meet the performance-based criteria adopted by the department.
(l) For the Florida Keys, the department shall adopt a special rule for the construction, installation, modification, operation, repair, maintenance, and performance of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems which considers the unique soil conditions and water table elevations, densities, and setback requirements. On lots where a setback distance of 75 feet from surface waters, saltmarsh, and buttonwood association habitat areas cannot be met, an injection well, approved and permitted by the department, may be used for disposal of effluent from onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems. The following additional requirements apply to onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems in Monroe County:
1. The county, each municipality, and those special districts established for the purpose of the collection, transmission, treatment, or disposal of sewage shall ensure, in accordance with the specific schedules adopted by the Administration Commission under s. 380.0552, the completion of onsite sewage treatment and disposal system upgrades to meet the requirements of this paragraph.
2. Onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems must cease discharge by December 31, 2015, or must comply with department rules and provide the level of treatment which, on a permitted annual average basis, produces an effluent that contains no more than the following concentrations:
a. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (CBOD5) of 10 mg/l.
b. Suspended Solids of 10 mg/l.
c. Total Nitrogen, expressed as N, of 10 mg/l or a reduction in nitrogen of at least 70 percent. A system that has been tested and certified to reduce nitrogen concentrations by at least 70 percent shall be deemed to be in compliance with this standard.
d. Total Phosphorus, expressed as P, of 1 mg/l.
In addition, onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems discharging to an injection well must provide basic disinfection as defined by department rule.
3. In areas not scheduled to be served by a central sewerage system, onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems must, by December 31, 2015, comply with department rules and provide the level of treatment described in subparagraph 2.
4. In areas scheduled to be served by a central sewerage system by December 31, 2015, if the property owner has paid a connection fee or assessment for connection to the central sewerage system, the property owner may install a holding tank with a high water alarm or an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system that meets the following minimum standards:
a. The existing tanks must be pumped and inspected and certified as being watertight and free of defects in accordance with department rule; and
b. A sand-lined drainfield or injection well in accordance with department rule must be installed.
5. Onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems must be monitored for total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations as required by department rule.
6. The department shall enforce proper installation, operation, and maintenance of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems pursuant to this chapter, including ensuring that the appropriate level of treatment described in subparagraph 2. is met.
7. The authority of a local government, including a special district, to mandate connection of an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system is governed by s. 4, chapter 99-395, Laws of Florida.
8. Notwithstanding any other law, an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system installed after July 1, 2010, in unincorporated Monroe County, excluding special wastewater districts, that complies with the standards in subparagraph 2. is not required to connect to a central sewerage system until December 31, 2020.
(m) A product sold in the state for use in onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems may not contain any substance in concentrations or amounts that would interfere with or prevent the successful operation of such system, or that would cause discharges from such systems to violate applicable water quality standards. The department shall publish criteria for products known or expected to meet the conditions of this paragraph. If a product does not meet such criteria, such product may be sold if the manufacturer satisfactorily demonstrates to the department that the conditions of this paragraph are met.
(n) Evaluations for determining the seasonal high-water table elevations or the suitability of soils for the use of a new onsite sewage treatment and disposal system shall be performed by department personnel, professional engineers registered in the state, or such other persons with expertise, as defined by rule, in making such evaluations. Evaluations for determining mean annual flood lines shall be performed by those persons identified in paragraph (2)(l). The department shall accept evaluations submitted by professional engineers and such other persons as meet the expertise established by this section or by rule unless the department has a reasonable scientific basis for questioning the accuracy or completeness of the evaluation.
(o) An application for an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system permit shall be completed in full, signed by the owner or the owner’s authorized representative, or by a contractor licensed under chapter 489, and shall be accompanied by all required exhibits and fees. Specific documentation of property ownership is not required as a prerequisite to the review of an application or the issuance of a permit. The issuance of a permit does not constitute determination by the department of property ownership.
(p) The department may not require any form of subdivision analysis of property by an owner, developer, or subdivider before submission of an application for an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system.
(q) This section does not limit the power of a municipality or county to enforce other laws for the protection of the public health and safety.
(r) In the siting of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems, including drainfields, shoulders, and slopes, guttering may not be required on single-family residential dwelling units for systems located greater than 5 feet from the roof drip line of the house. If guttering is used on residential dwelling units, the downspouts shall be directed away from the drainfield.
(s) Notwithstanding subparagraph (g)1., onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems located in floodways of the Suwannee and Aucilla Rivers must adhere to the following requirements:
1. The absorption surface of the drainfield may not be subject to flooding based on 10-year flood elevations. Provided, however, for lots or parcels created by the subdivision of land in accordance with applicable local government regulations before January 17, 1990, if an applicant cannot construct a drainfield system with the absorption surface of the drainfield at an elevation equal to or above 10-year flood elevation, the department shall issue a permit for an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system within the 10-year floodplain of rivers, streams, and other bodies of flowing water if all of the following criteria are met:
a. The lot is at least one-half acre in size;
b. The bottom of the drainfield is at least 36 inches above the 2-year flood elevation; and
c. The applicant installs a waterless, incinerating, or organic waste composting toilet and a graywater system and drainfield in accordance with department rules; an aerobic treatment unit and drainfield in accordance with department rules; a system that is capable of reducing effluent nitrate by at least 50 percent in accordance with department rules; or a system other than a system using alternative drainfield materials in accordance with department rules. The United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service soil maps, State of Florida Water Management District data, and Federal Emergency Management Agency Flood Insurance maps are resources that shall be used to identify flood-prone areas.
2. The use of fill or mounding to elevate a drainfield system out of the 10-year floodplain of rivers, streams, or other bodies of flowing water may not be permitted if such a system lies within a regulatory floodway of the Suwannee and Aucilla Rivers. In cases where the 10-year flood elevation does not coincide with the boundaries of the regulatory floodway, the regulatory floodway will be considered for the purposes of this subsection to extend at a minimum to the 10-year flood elevation.
(t)1. The owner of an aerobic treatment unit system shall maintain a current maintenance service agreement with an aerobic treatment unit maintenance entity permitted by the department. The maintenance entity shall inspect each aerobic treatment unit system at least twice each year and shall report quarterly to the department on the number of aerobic treatment unit systems inspected and serviced. The reports may be submitted electronically.
2. The property owner of an owner-occupied, single-family residence may be approved and permitted by the department as a maintenance entity for his or her own aerobic treatment unit system upon written certification from the system manufacturer’s approved representative that the property owner has received training on the proper installation and service of the system. The maintenance entity service agreement must conspicuously disclose that the property owner has the right to maintain his or her own system and is exempt from contractor registration requirements for performing construction, maintenance, or repairs on the system but is subject to all permitting requirements.
3. A septic tank contractor licensed under part III of chapter 489, if approved by the manufacturer, may not be denied access by the manufacturer to aerobic treatment unit system training or spare parts for maintenance entities. After the original warranty period, component parts for an aerobic treatment unit system may be replaced with parts that meet manufacturer’s specifications but are manufactured by others. The maintenance entity shall maintain documentation of the substitute part’s equivalency for 2 years and shall provide such documentation to the department upon request.
4. The owner of an aerobic treatment unit system shall obtain a system operating permit from the department and allow the department to inspect during reasonable hours each aerobic treatment unit system at least annually, and such inspection may include collection and analysis of system-effluent samples for performance criteria established by rule of the department.
(u) The department may require the submission of detailed system construction plans that are prepared by a professional engineer registered in this state. The department shall establish by rule criteria for determining when such a submission is required.
(v) Any permit issued and approved by the department for the installation, modification, or repair of an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system shall transfer with the title to the property in a real estate transaction. A title may not be encumbered at the time of transfer by new permit requirements by a governmental entity for an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system which differ from the permitting requirements in effect at the time the system was permitted, modified, or repaired. An inspection of a system may not be mandated by a governmental entity at the point of sale in a real estate transaction. This paragraph does not affect a septic tank phase-out deferral program implemented by a consolidated government as defined in s. 9, Art. VIII of the State Constitution of 1885.
(w) A governmental entity, including a municipality, county, or statutorily created commission, may not require an engineer-designed performance-based treatment system, excluding a passive engineer-designed performance-based treatment system, before the completion of the Florida Onsite Sewage Nitrogen Reduction Strategies Project. This paragraph does not apply to a governmental entity, including a municipality, county, or statutorily created commission, which adopted a local law, ordinance, or regulation on or before January 31, 2012. Notwithstanding this paragraph, an engineer-designed performance-based treatment system may be used to meet the requirements of the variance review and advisory committee recommendations.
(x)1. An onsite sewage treatment and disposal system is not considered abandoned if the system is disconnected from a structure that was made unusable or destroyed following a disaster and if the system was properly functioning at the time of disconnection and was not adversely affected by the disaster. The onsite sewage treatment and disposal system may be reconnected to a rebuilt structure if:
a. The reconnection of the system is to the same type of structure which contains the same number of bedrooms or fewer, if the square footage of the structure is less than or equal to 110 percent of the original square footage of the structure that existed before the disaster;
b. The system is not a sanitary nuisance; and
c. The system has not been altered without prior authorization.
2. An onsite sewage treatment and disposal system that serves a property that is foreclosed upon is not considered abandoned.
(y) If an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system permittee receives, relies upon, and undertakes construction of a system based upon a validly issued construction permit under rules applicable at the time of construction but a change to a rule occurs within 5 years after the approval of the system for construction but before the final approval of the system, the rules applicable and in effect at the time of construction approval apply at the time of final approval if fundamental site conditions have not changed between the time of construction approval and final approval.
(z) An existing-system inspection or evaluation and assessment, or a modification, replacement, or upgrade of an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system is not required for a remodeling addition or modification to a single-family home if a bedroom is not added. However, a remodeling addition or modification to a single-family home may not cover any part of the existing system or encroach upon a required setback or the unobstructed area. To determine if a setback or the unobstructed area is impacted, the local health department shall review and verify a floor plan and site plan of the proposed remodeling addition or modification to the home submitted by a remodeler which shows the location of the system, including the distance of the remodeling addition or modification to the home from the onsite sewage treatment and disposal system. The local health department may visit the site or otherwise determine the best means of verifying the information submitted. A verification of the location of a system is not an inspection or evaluation and assessment of the system. The review and verification must be completed within 7 business days after receipt by the local health department of a floor plan and site plan. If the review and verification is not completed within such time, the remodeling addition or modification to the single-family home, for the purposes of this paragraph, is approved.
(5) ENFORCEMENT; RIGHT OF ENTRY.—
(a) Department personnel who have reason to believe noncompliance exists, may at any reasonable time, enter the premises permitted under ss. 381.0065-381.0066, or the business premises of any septic tank contractor or master septic tank contractor registered under part III of chapter 489, or any premises that the department has reason to believe is being operated or maintained not in compliance, to determine compliance with the provisions of this section, part I of chapter 386, or part III of chapter 489 or rules or standards adopted under ss. 381.0065-381.0067, part I of chapter 386, or part III of chapter 489. As used in this paragraph, the term “premises” does not include a residence or private building. To gain entry to a residence or private building, the department must obtain permission from the owner or occupant or secure an inspection warrant from a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to the procedures of s. 403.091.
(b) The department has all of the judicial and administrative remedies available to it pursuant to part I of chapter 403 for violations of ss. 381.0065-381.0067, part I of chapter 386, or part III of chapter 489 or the rules adopted by the department. The department, pursuant to ss. 381.0065-381.0067, part I of chapter 386, or part III of chapter 489, shall deposit any damages, costs, or penalties it collects pursuant to this section and part I of chapter 403 in the Water Quality Assurance Trust Fund.
(6) LAND APPLICATION OF SEPTAGE PROHIBITED.—Effective January 1, 2016, the land application of septage from onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems is prohibited.
(7) USE OF ENHANCED NUTRIENT-REDUCING ONSITE SEWAGE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL SYSTEMS.—To meet the requirements of a total maximum daily load, the department shall implement a fast-track approval process of no longer than 6 months for the determination of the use of American National Standards Institute 245 systems approved by NSF International before July 1, 2020. The department shall also establish an enhanced nutrient-reducing onsite sewage treatment and disposal system approval program that will expeditiously evaluate and approve such systems for use in this state to comply with ss. 403.067(7)(a)10. and 373.469(3)(d).
(8) PRIVATE PROVIDER INSPECTIONS.—
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, ordinance, or policy, the owner of an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system or a contractor upon the owner’s written authorization may hire a private provider to perform an inspection that follows applicable regulatory requirements of the onsite sewage treatment and disposal system.
(b) An inspection of an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system required under this section may not be conducted by the private provider or authorized representative of the private provider that installed the onsite sewage treatment and disposal system.
(c) A private provider or an authorized representative of a private provider may perform onsite sewage treatment and disposal system inspections if they are:
1. An environmental health professional certified under s. 381.0101;
2. A master septic tank contractor registered under part III of chapter 489;
3. A professional engineer licensed under chapter 471 and have passed all parts of the Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal System Accelerated Certification Training; or
4. Working under the supervision of a licensed professional engineer and have passed all parts of the Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal System Accelerated Certification Training.
(d) An owner or authorized contractor using a private provider for an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system inspection must provide notice to the department at the time of permit application or by 2 p.m. local time, 2 business days before the first scheduled inspection by the department. The notice must include all of the following information:
1. For each private provider or authorized representative performing the inspection:
a. Name and firm name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address.
b. Professional license or certification number.
c. Qualification statement or résumé.
2. An acknowledgment from the owner in substantially the following form:
I HAVE ELECTED TO USE ONE OR MORE PRIVATE PROVIDERS TO PERFORM AN ONSITE SEWAGE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL SYSTEM INSPECTION THAT IS THE SUBJECT OF THE ENCLOSED PERMIT APPLICATION. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION MAY NOT PERFORM THE REQUIRED ONSITE SEWAGE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL SYSTEM INSPECTION TO DETERMINE COMPLIANCE WITH THE APPLICABLE CODES, EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT AUTHORIZED BY LAW. INSTEAD, THE INSPECTION WILL BE PERFORMED BY THE LICENSED OR CERTIFIED PRIVATE PROVIDER IDENTIFIED IN THE APPLICATION. BY EXECUTING THIS FORM, I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE MADE INQUIRY REGARDING THE COMPETENCE OF THE LICENSED OR CERTIFIED PRIVATE PROVIDER AND AM SATISFIED THAT MY INTERESTS ARE ADEQUATELY PROTECTED. I AGREE TO INDEMNIFY, DEFEND, AND HOLD HARMLESS THE DEPARTMENT FROM ANY CLAIMS ARISING FROM MY USE OF THE LICENSED OR CERTIFIED PRIVATE PROVIDER IDENTIFIED IN THE APPLICATION TO PERFORM THE ONSITE SEWAGE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL SYSTEM INSPECTION THAT IS THE SUBJECT OF THE ENCLOSED PERMIT APPLICATION. ADDITIONALLY, I UNDERSTAND THAT IN THE EVENT THE ONSITE SEWAGE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL SYSTEM DOES NOT COMPLY WITH APPLICABLE RULES AND LAW, I WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REMEDIATING THE SYSTEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH EXISTING LAW.
If an owner or authorized contractor makes any changes to the listed private provider or the service to be performed by the private provider, the owner or the authorized contractor must update the notice to reflect the change within 1 business day after the change. The change of an authorized representative identified in the permit application does not require a revision of the permit, and the department may not charge a fee for making such change.
(e) The department may audit up to 25 percent of private providers each year to ensure the accurate performance of onsite sewage treatment and disposal system inspections. Work on an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system may proceed after inspection and approval by a private provider if the owner or authorized contractor has given notice of the inspection pursuant to paragraph (d), and, subsequent to such inspection and approval, such work may not be delayed for completion of an inspection audit by the department unless deficiencies are found in the audit.
(f) This subsection does not prevent the department from investigating complaints.
(g) By October 1, 2023, the department shall submit a report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives reviewing the use of private providers to perform onsite sewage treatment and disposal system inspections as authorized by this subsection. The report must include, at a minimum, the number of such inspections performed by private providers.
(h) The department shall adopt rules to implement this subsection and must initiate such rulemaking by August 31, 2022.
(9) CONTRACT OR DELEGATION AUTHORITY.—The department may contract with or delegate its powers and duties under this section to a county as provided in s. 403.061 or s. 403.182.
History.—ss. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ch. 75-145; s. 72, ch. 77-147; s. 1, ch. 77-174; ss. 1, 2, ch. 77-308; s. 1, ch. 78-430; s. 1, ch. 79-45; s. 1, ch. 82-10; s. 37, ch. 83-218; ss. 43, 46, ch. 83-310; s. 1, ch. 84-119; s. 4, ch. 85-314; s. 5, ch. 86-220; s. 14, ch. 89-324; s. 26, ch. 91-297; ss. 1, 10, 11, ch. 93-151; s. 40, ch. 94-218; s. 352, ch. 94-356; s. 1033, ch. 95-148; ss. 1, 3, ch. 96-303; s. 116, ch. 96-410; s. 181, ch. 97-101; s. 21, ch. 97-237; s. 7, ch. 98-151; s. 2, ch. 98-420; s. 192, ch. 99-13; ss. 1, 7, ch. 99-395; s. 10, ch. 2000-242; s. 19, ch. 2001-62; s. 1, ch. 2001-234; s. 7, ch. 2004-350; s. 48, ch. 2005-2; s. 4, ch. 2006-68; s. 1, ch. 2008-215; s. 19, ch. 2008-240; s. 35, ch. 2010-205; s. 1, ch. 2010-283; s. 28, ch. 2011-4; s. 3, ch. 2012-13; s. 32, ch. 2012-184; s. 67, ch. 2013-15; s. 1, ch. 2013-79; s. 7, ch. 2013-193; s. 10, ch. 2013-213; ss. 50, 51, ch. 2015-222; ss. 6, 7, 52, ch. 2020-150; s. 1, ch. 2022-105; s. 78, ch. 2023-8; s. 12, ch. 2023-9; s. 11, ch. 2023-169; s. 4, ch. 2024-143; s. 7, ch. 2024-180.
“The Legislature intends that the transfer of the regulation of the Onsite Sewage Program from the Department of Health to the Department of Environmental Protection, as required by the Clean Waterways Act, chapter 2020-150, Laws of Florida, be completed in a phased approach.
“(1) Before the phased transfer, the Department of Environmental Protection shall coordinate with the Department of Health to identify equipment and vehicles that were previously used to carry out the program in each county and that are no longer needed for such purpose. The Department of Health shall transfer the agreed-upon equipment and vehicles to the Department of Environmental Protection, to the extent that each county agrees to relinquish ownership of such equipment and vehicles to the Department of Health.
“(2) When the Department of Environmental Protection begins implementing the program within a county, the Department of Health may no longer implement or collect fees for the program unless specified by separate delegation or contract with the Department of Environmental Protection.”
