Southwest District

Southwest District Hazardous Waste

What is a Hazardous Waste?

The definition of a hazardous waste starts with the definition of a solid waste. A solid waste is any solid, liquid or contained gaseous material that is discarded by being disposed of, incinerated or recycled. Solid wastes can also be the byproduct of a manufacturing process, a commercial product that is used in a business or home, garbage, etc.

A hazardous waste is a solid waste that because of its quantity, concentration and/or physical, chemical or infectious characteristics may:

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Southwest District Waste Cleanup

The Waste Cleanup Section is essentially a "Mini-CERCLA" or Superfund Section. We work on cleaning up sites with contaminated groundwater, soil and/or surface water. Most of our sites were contaminated prior to the enactment of environmental regulations or the source of contamination is unknown.

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Southwest District Underground Injection Control

The DEP Southwest District regulates underground injection control wells in Citrus, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties.

The Southwest District permits non-major Class V wells (such as closed-loop heat pump/air conditioning return flow wells and stormwater wells). All other wells, including Class I wells and major Class V wells (such as aquifer storage and recovery, aquifer recharge, exploratory and reverse osmosis), are permitted by the Aquifer Protection Program in DEP’s Tallahassee office.

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Southwest District NPDES Stormwater

DEP's Southwest District Office regulates the discharge of stormwater from certain construction sites and industrial facilities under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Program.

Operators of regulated activities must obtain NPDES stormwater permit coverage and implement appropriate pollution prevention techniques to reduce contamination of stormwater runoff. Permits for NPDES stormwater facilities are processed in Tallahassee.

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Southwest District Industrial Wastewater

The DEP Southwest District regulates industrial wastewater facilities in Citrus, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties. The Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission permits industrial wastewater treatment facilities that do not discharge to surface water bodies.

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Southwest District Domestic Wastewater

The DEP Southwest District regulates domestic wastewater facilities in the following counties: Citrus, Hardee, Hernando*, Hillsborough**, Manatee, Pasco*, Pinellas and Polk.

Southwest District Domestic Wastewater Contact

swd_dw@dep.state.fl.us

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Southwest District Drinking Water

The DEP Southwest District regulates potable water systems in the following counties: Citrus, Hardee, Hernando*, Manatee, Pasco* and Pinellas.

*The Hernando and Pasco County utility departments permit the construction of water distribution mains in their counties that are 12 inches or less in diameter and that will distribute drinking water from county-owned drinking water facilities.

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Southwest District Tanks

The Southwest District Storage Tank Program handles compliance, enforcement, technical assistance and contract management relating to tank systems that store regulated substances. Specific activities conducted by district staff are:

1) Underground and aboveground storage tank (Chapters 62-761 and 62-762, F.A.C.) inspections at facilities owned by contracted counties;

2) Discharge prevention and response (Chapter 62S-6, F.A.C.) inspections;

3) Enforcement for non-compliant facilities, including enforcement referrals from the contracted counties;