Alternative Surface Water Quality Standards

Nutrient Level II WQBELs for Gainesville Regional Utilities Final Order

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection gives notice that the final order for the adoption of nutrient Water Quality Based Effluent Limitations (WQBELs) for discharges to Sweetwater Branch, which constitute site-specific numeric interpretations of the narrative nutrient criterion pursuant to paragraph 62-302.531(2)(a), Florida Administrative Code was issued on April 7, 2023.

This final order establishes the site-specific numeric interpretations of the narrative nutrient criterion for Sweetwater Branch and would allocate a portion of the total allowable nutrient loading to the Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) Main Street Water Reclamation Facility (MSWRF) and to the J.R. Kelly Generating Station as effluent limitations. These site-specific numeric interpretations of the narrative nutrient criterion for Sweetwater Branch supersede and replace the otherwise applicable numeric nutrient criteria in subsection 62-302.531(2), F.A.C., for this particular surface water segment (WBID 2711). Pursuant to section 303(c) of the Clean Water Act, these site-specific numeric interpretations of the narrative nutrient criterion were submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for their review and they were approved by EPA as changes to water quality standards on June 7, 2023.

• EPA Approval Letter
• EPA Decision Document
• Final Order Level II WQBEL
• Notice of Intent to Issue Order

Historic Public Hearing Information

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection hosted a public hearing at 9 a.m. EDT on June 21, 2022 on proposed nutrient Level II Water Quality Based Effluent Limitations (WQBELs) for Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) Main Street Water Reclamation Facility (MSWRF) and the John R. Kelly Generating Station (KGS) for Sweetwater Branch.

Links to the technical documentation supporting the proposed Level II WQBEL, the public hearing agenda, and public hearing presentation are located below:

• Virtual Public Hearing Agenda
• Hierarchy I Numeric Nutrient Criteria for Sweetwater Branch (Alachua County) Report
• Workshop Presentation

Site Specific Interpretations of the Narrative Nutrient Criterion

Numeric nutrient criteria that are approved Hierarchy 1interpretations of the narrative nutrient criteria under Rule 62-302.531(2)(a), F.A.C., can include Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), Level II Water Quality-Based Effluent Limits (WQBELs), Reasonable Assurance Plans (RAPs) and Site Specific Alternative Criteria (addressed above).

• List of Nutrient TMDLs that are Hierarchy 1 Interpretations under Rule 62-302.531(2)(a), F.A.C.

Site Specific Alternative Criteria

Site specific alternative criteria (SSAC) replace the criteria applicable statewide in cases where site specific information supports different numeric criteria. Any SSAC must fully support and protect the designated use of the waterbody. SSACs fall into three types: Type I, Type II and Type III.

• Type I SSACs (Rule 62-302.800(1), F.A.C.) are established to reflect natural background conditions, such as lower dissolved oxygen levels than the statewide default criteria.
• Type II SSACs (Rule 62-302.800(2), F.A.C) are established for situations other than natural background conditions.
• Type III SSACs (Rule 62-302.800(3), F.A.C.) are limited to nutrient criteria.

All types of SSACs must still fully protect the designated use of the water body.

Examples of site specific criteria include the Everglades phosphorus criterion (Rule 62-302.540, F.A.C.) and the Site Specific Alternative Criteria described in Rule 62-302.800, F.A.C.

• Frequently Asked Questions for Waters with Site Specific Alternative Criteria.
• Waters with Site Specific Alternative Criteria.

FPL SSAC for Total Ammonia Nitrogen

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection hosted a virtual public workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020, 9 a.m. to present Florida Power and Light’s (FPL) petition to establish a Site Specific Alternative Criterion (SSAC) for Total Ammonia Nitrogen (TAN) for the Northwest Mitigation Area wetlands and Barley Barber Swamp in Martin County, Florida.

Please contact Kaitlyn Sutton (850-245-8819) or Nia Wellendorf (850-245-8190) if you have any questions about the public workshop or proposed SSAC.

Links to the technical documentation supporting the proposed SSAC, the agenda for the public workshop, the public workshop presentation and comments received are located below. This TAN SSAC is now incorporated into the revisions proposed as part of the 2024 Triennial Review.

• Public Workshop Presentation.
• Virtual Workshop Agenda.
• A Mussel (Unionidae) Survey in Selected Martin County Wetlands, Culminating in Site-Specific Total Ammonia Nitrogen Criteria.
• Comments received on the Draft SSAC.

Water Quality Standards Variances