In Florida, all wastewater that is not defined as domestic wastewater is considered industrial wastewater. Since Florida is among our nation’s most populous and fastest growing states, industrial wastewater permitting is increasingly important for protection of our state’s most precious natural resource — water.
Sources of industrial wastewater include manufacturing, commercial businesses, mining, agricultural production and processing, and wastewater from cleanup of petroleum- and chemical-contaminated sites. Industrial wastewater discharged under NPDES permits may be subject to federal Effluent Limitations Guidelines (ELG). In addition, all industrial wastewater discharges in Florida must provide reasonable assurance of meeting Florida’s Water Quality Standards for surface water or ground water to receive a discharge permit.
The Department of Environmental Protection's Industrial Wastewater issues permits to facilities and activities that discharge to surface waters and ground waters of the state. Industrial wastewater that discharges to domestic wastewater treatment facilities, however, is regulated under the Industrial Pretreatment component of the department’s Domestic Wastewater.
The Department is authorized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to issue permits for discharge to surface waters under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Permits for discharge to ground waters are issued by the department under state statutes and rules. Industrial wastewater permits are issued by the district offices, with two exceptions. NPDES permits for steam electric power plants are issued by the Industrial Wastewater in the Tallahassee office. Industrial wastewater permitting for the phosphate industry is handled by the Phosphogypsum Management Program located in Tampa. See information below about recent revision to Department rules.
In 2021, rulemaking for “Generic Permit for Discharges of Pollutants to Surface Waters of the State Generated by Experimental Technologies for the Control of Harmful Algal Blooms" was initiated in response to the Blue-Green Algae Task Force. Proposed revisions to Chapter 62-621, F.A.C., would adopt by rule a generic National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit authorizing certain activities to control red tide [Karenina brevis] and blue-green algal [cyanobacteria] blooms in Florida’s waterways. The proposed generic permit would be issued under Sections 403.061 and 403.0885, Florida Statutes, and applicable rules of the Florida Administrative Code.
A Notice of Proposed Rule for Chapter 62-621, F.A.C., was published on February 8, 2022. The proposed updates and public comments received by the Department can be found below.
A Notice of Public Hearing for Chapter 62-621, F.A.C., was published on September 21, 2022. The Virtual hearing is scheduled for 2pm on April 13, 2023. Please see agenda below.
NPDES facilities are required to submit Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) electronically. More information can be obtained at the Electronic Discharge Monitoring Report System (EzDMR) page.
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