SUBJECT:
Title
Request Approval of Settlement Letter Between Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and Marion County Utilities (MCU) (Budget Impact - Neutral)
Body
INITIATOR:
DEPARTMENT:
Jody Kirkman, P.E., Utilities Director
Utilities
DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND:
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) conducted a compliance evaluation inspection for the Silver Springs Shores Wastewater Treatment Facility on September 7, 2022, which indicated an effluent violation for Total Nitrogen limits for effluent sent to the facilities Rapid Infiltration Basin System (RIBS), this action is considered a violation of Florida Statute 403.067(7). While the Total Nitrogen limits exceeded the Total Nitrogen levels for the RIBS, the levels met the effluent limits for the facilities spray field(s) as well as to public access reuse. Marion County Utilities took proactive measures to resolve the effluent violation by continuously making all recommended facility process changes to produce the effluent to meet the required Total Nitrogen limit for disposal in the RIBS. FDEP provided a Settlement Letter to memorialize an agreement between Marion County and FDEP with specific steps both parties agree will be completed within a specified timeframe which includes an interim disposal limit in the RIBS that increase the Annual Total Nitrogen limit, such an interim limit will remain in effect until October 31, 2024, Marion County will be required to deal with additional discharge monitoring, and reporting requirements for discharges to the RIBS at the Facility.
BUDGET/IMPACT:
Neutral
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
Motion to approve and authorize the Chairman to execute the Settlement Letter.
end