The Southwest District is home to Tampa Bay, Florida's largest open-water estuary which encompasses nearly 400 square miles. We also enjoy a variety of scenic waterways including the Myakka River, Homosassa Springs, Hillsborough River, Manatee River, Withlacoochee River and portions of the Peace River. The best of our coastal landscapes have been set aside for protection as aquatic preserves. Cockroach Bay, Terra Ceia, Boca Ciega Bay and Pinellas County aquatic preserves are all situated in the Southwest District.
Jurisdiction: Citrus, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties.
Kelley M. Boatwright, Director, Southwest District
Kelley Boatwright has worked in the environmental industry for more than 35 years. She began her career with the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County where she was awarded for her performance as a Certified Sterling Examiner.
Kelley joined DEP in 2012 as the Permitting Program Administrator, later becoming the District Assistant Director in 2016, where she was responsible for overseeing the district’s Compliance Assurance Program. Kelley is a native Floridian and earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida.
Please join us for the DEP Southwest District's Oculus and Map Direct Training on Friday, January 12, 2024. Attendance is free and open to the public. Staff members will provide instruction on our publicly accessible documents database (Oculus) and our online mapping tool (Map Direct) to find facilities and refine search results. Please RSVP to reserve a seat in one of the three courses that day in different time slots.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has issued the city of New Port Richey a Notice of Draft Permit for renewal of its domestic wastewater/National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (DW-NPDES) permit.
A public meeting will be held on Oct. 11, 2023, to allow an opportunity for the public to provide input on the draft permit as well as ask questions and obtain information about the draft permit and permitting process.
| WHAT | New Port Richey Domestic Wastewater Draft Permit Renewal |
| WHERE | New Port Richey Recreation and Aquatic Center 6630 Van Buren St. New Port Richey, FL 34653 |
| WHEN | Oct. 11, 2023 4 to 7 p.m. EDT |
The draft permit would authorize the continued operation of the existing domestic wastewater treatment plant that processes up to 7.5 million gallons per day (MGD). The treated effluent is then recycled through a reclaimed water facility. The draft permit prohibits any untreated discharges and authorizes only wet-weather treated discharges that are to occur if/when the influent flow is above 8.4 MGD.
DEP is committed to protecting Floridians and our state’s natural resources and ensuring the state’s environmental laws are followed. DEP will only issue permits that are protective of Florida’s environment and meet all requirements of state law.
The facility's documents, including the draft permit, are available online.
Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability or family status. Persons who require special accommodations under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) or persons who require translation services (free of charge) are asked to contact Stacie Taylor at 850-245-2072 or Stacie.L.Taylor@FloridaDEP.gov at least ten (10) days before the meeting. If you have a hearing or speech impairment, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 800-955-8771 (TDD) or 800-955-8770 (voice).
Citizen questions or complaints; Outreach requests; Legislative requests; Media inquiries; Public Records Requests
DEP's goal is to achieve compliance with environmental regulations to protect Florida's resources.
Environmental permits serve a valuable role in minimizing potential environmental disruption.
The Southwest District, with headquarters in Tampa, is DEP's regulatory office for 8 southwest Florida counties.
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