1(1) 2The encouragement and promotion of water conservation, and reuse of reclaimed water, as defined by the department, are state objectives and are considered to be in the public interest. The Legislature finds that the reuse of reclaimed water is a critical component of meeting the state’s existing and future water supply needs while sustaining natural systems. The Legislature further finds that for those wastewater treatment plants permitted and operated under an approved reuse program by the department, the reclaimed water shall be considered environmentally acceptable and not a threat to public health and safety. The Legislature encourages the development of incentive-based programs for reuse implementation.
107(2) 108All applicants for permits to construct or operate a domestic wastewater treatment facility located within, serving a population located within, or discharging within a water resource caution area shall prepare a reuse feasibility study as part of their application for the permit. Reuse feasibility studies shall be prepared in accordance with department guidelines adopted by rule and shall include, but are not limited to:172(a) 173Evaluation of monetary costs and benefits for several levels and types of reuse.
186(b) 187Evaluation of water savings if reuse is implemented.
195(c) 196Evaluation of rates and fees necessary to implement reuse.
205(d) 206Evaluation of environmental and water resource benefits associated with reuse.
216(e) 217Evaluation of economic, environmental, and technical constraints.
224(f) 225A schedule for implementation of reuse. The schedule shall consider phased implementation.
237(3) 238The permit applicant shall prepare a plan of study for the reuse feasibility study consistent with the reuse feasibility study guidelines adopted by department rule. The plan of study shall include detailed descriptions of applicable treatment and water supply alternatives to be evaluated and the methods of analysis to be used. The plan of study shall be submitted to the department for review and approval.
303(4) 304The study required under subsection (2) shall be performed by the applicant, and, if the study shows that the reuse is feasible, the applicant must give significant consideration to its implementation if the study complies with the requirements of subsections (2) and (3).
347(5) 348A reuse feasibility study is not required if:356(a) 357The domestic wastewater treatment facility has an existing or proposed permitted or design capacity less than 0.1 million gallons per day; or
379(b) 380The permitted reuse capacity equals or exceeds the total permitted capacity of the domestic wastewater treatment facility.
397(6) 398A reuse feasibility study prepared under subsection (2) satisfies a water management district requirement to conduct a reuse feasibility study imposed on a local government or utility that has responsibility for wastewater management. The data included in the study and the conclusions of the study must be given significant consideration by the applicant and the appropriate water management district in an analysis of the economic, environmental, and technical feasibility of providing reclaimed water for reuse under part II of chapter 373 and must be presumed relevant to the determination of feasibility. A water management district may not require a separate study when a reuse feasibility study has been completed under subsection (2).
510(7) 511Local governments may allow the use of reclaimed water for inside activities, including, but not limited to, toilet flushing, fire protection, and decorative water features, as well as for outdoor uses, provided the reclaimed water is from domestic wastewater treatment facilities which are permitted, constructed, and operated in accordance with department rules.
563(8) 564Permits issued by the department for domestic wastewater treatment facilities shall be consistent with requirements for reuse included in applicable consumptive use permits issued by the water management district, if such requirements are consistent with department rules governing reuse of reclaimed water. This subsection applies only to domestic wastewater treatment facilities which are located within, or serve a population located within, or discharge within water resource caution areas and are owned, operated, or controlled by a local government or utility which has responsibility for water supply and wastewater management.
653(9) 654Local governments may and are encouraged to implement programs for the reuse of reclaimed water. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit or preempt such local reuse programs.
684(10) 685A local government that implements a reuse program under this section shall be allowed to allocate the costs in a reasonable manner.
707(11) 708Pursuant to chapter 367, the Florida Public Service Commission shall allow entities under its jurisdiction which conduct studies or implement reuse projects, including, but not limited to, any study required by subsection (2) or facilities used for reliability purposes for a reclaimed water reuse system, to recover the full, prudently incurred cost of such studies and facilities through their rate structure.
769(12) 770In issuing consumptive use permits, the permitting agency shall consider the local reuse program.
784(13) 785A local government shall require a developer, as a condition for obtaining a development order, to comply with the local reuse program.
807(14) 808After conducting a feasibility study under subsection (2), domestic wastewater treatment facilities that dispose of effluent by Class I deep well injection, as defined in 40 C.F.R. s. 144.6(a), must implement reuse to the degree that reuse is feasible, based upon the applicant’s reuse feasibility study. Applicable permits issued by the department shall be consistent with the requirements of this subsection.869(a) 870This subsection does not limit the use of a Class I deep well injection facility as backup for a reclaimed water reuse system.
893(b) 894This subsection applies only to domestic wastewater treatment facilities located within, serving a population located within, or discharging within a water resource caution area.
918(15) 919After conducting a feasibility study under subsection (2), domestic wastewater treatment facilities that dispose of effluent by surface water discharges or by land application methods must implement reuse to the degree that reuse is feasible, based upon the applicant’s reuse feasibility study. This subsection does not apply to surface water discharges or land application systems which are currently categorized as reuse under department rules. Applicable permits issued by the department shall be consistent with the requirements of this subsection.998(a) 999This subsection does not limit the use of a surface water discharge or land application facility as backup for a reclaimed water reuse system.
1023(b) 1024This subsection applies only to domestic wastewater treatment facilities located within, serving a population located within, or discharging within a water resource caution area.
1048(16) 1049Utilities implementing reuse projects are encouraged, except in the case of use by electric utilities as defined in s. 1068366.02(2), 1069to meter use of reclaimed water by all end users and to charge for the use of reclaimed water based on the actual volume used when such metering and charges can be shown to encourage water conservation. Metering and the use of volume-based rates are effective water management tools for the following reuse activities: residential irrigation, agricultural irrigation, industrial uses, landscape irrigation, irrigation of other public access areas, commercial and institutional uses such as toilet flushing, and transfers to other reclaimed water utilities. Each domestic wastewater utility that provides reclaimed water for the reuse activities listed in this section shall include a summary of its metering and rate structure as part of its annual reuse report to the department. 1188(17) 1189By December 31, 2020, the department shall initiate rule revisions based on the recommendations of the Potable Reuse Commission’s 2020 report “Advancing Potable Reuse in Florida: Framework for the Implementation of Potable Reuse in Florida.” Rules for potable reuse projects must address contaminants of emerging concern and meet or exceed federal and state drinking water quality standards and other applicable water quality standards. Reclaimed water is deemed a water source for public water supply systems.
