Triennial Review of Water Quality Standards

Triennial Review of Water Quality Standards

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is conducting a Triennial Review of Florida's Water Quality Standards. The effort was initiated in May 2019 when three public workshops/hearings were held across the state. States are required under the Federal Clean Water Act (40 CFR 131.20) to conduct a comprehensive review of all water quality standards at least once every three years (Triennial Review). 

All surface water quality standards in Chapter 62-302, Chapter 62-303, Chapter 62-304, and Chapter 62-4, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), are open under the current review and may be revised as part of the Triennial Review. However, the Department is not currently proposing revisions to Chapters 62-4 or Chapter 62-304, F.A.C.

We are planning additional Triennial Workshops in 2020 after the next Blue-Green Algal Task Force meeting. These workshops will likely be virtual given the Covid-19 emergency. The public will be provided an opportunity to comment and suggest additional changes during both the workshops and a subsequent written comment period of approximately two weeks.

Four public workshops were held between November 4 - November 7, 2019 to solicit public input on the Triennial Review. The Department presented information about potential revisions to Florida’s surface water quality standards, including consideration of U.S. EPA 304(a) criteria recommendations. Links to proposed rule revisions and supporting documents are available in the table below.

Click here for the November public workshop presentation

Meeting Calendar and Information

Click here for the Workshop Agendas

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Public Workshop FAR Notices: Chapter 62-302, Chapter 62-303, Chapter 62-304, and Chapter 62-4, F.A.C.

Three public workshops/hearings were also held to solicit public input on the Triennial Review between May 14th and May 16th, 2019.  These workshops/hearings were designed to provide a forum for the public to recommend revisions to Florida’s water quality standards. DEP presented information about potential revisions to Florida’s water quality standards, including consideration of U.S. EPA 304(a) criteria recommendations.  

Click here to access the presentation from the May Kickoff workshop/hearing.

Click here to access the ftp site to download public comments from the May Kickoff workshops/hearings.