SB 978 — Advanced Wastewater Treatment

Florida Senate - 2025 CS for SB 978 By Senatorthe BermanCommittee 26-00769-25on 2025978__Environment Aand billNatural toResources; be entitled An act relating to advanced wastewater treatment;

and Senator Berman 592-02514A-25 2025978c1 A bill to be entitled An act relating to advanced wastewater treatment;

requiring the Department of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the water management districts and sewagewastewater disposal facilities, to submit to the Governor and the Legislature specified reports on certain sewage disposal facilities in thethis state;state by specified dates;

providing requirements for the reports;

(1) The Legislature finds that the discharge of inadequately treated wastewater and aging sewage disposal facilities compromisecompromises the quality of the environment, including freshwater, brackish water, and nearshore and offshore salt waters, and threatens the quality of life and local economies in thethis state thatwhich depend on those resources.

The Legislature also finds that the only practical and cost-effective way to fundamentally improve wastewater management is to requireimplement advanced wastewater treatment or better at all sewage disposal facilities with a permitted capacity of greater than 1 million gallons per day in the state.

(2) In order to prioritize the upgrade of sewage disposal facilities, by December 31, 2025, the Department of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the water management districts and wastewater facilities, shall submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a report detailing all of the Page 1 of 4 CODING:

Florida Senate - 2025 CS for SB 978 26-00769-25592-02514A-25 2025978__2025978c1 the House of Representatives a report detailing all of the following for all sewage disposal facilities with a permitted capacity of greater than 1 million gallons per day in thethis state:

(c) Actual permitted volume of wastewater treated dailydaily, including the most recent 1-year and 5-year averages.

(d) Current level of treatment, including concentrations for eachall of the following:

Other contaminants of emerging concern as determined by the department.Department of Environmental Protection.

(f) Disposal methods and the volume discharged to any receiving waterbodies,water bodies, if applicable, pursuant to s.

403.064(17),403.064(16), Florida Statutes.

(g) Impairment status of any receiving waterbodieswater bodies within the watershed.

(h) Implementation status of total maximum daily loads and basin management action plans and recommended reductions for load allocations and wasteload allocations for pollutants of Page 2 of 4 CODING:

Florida Senate - 2025 CS for SB 978 26-00769-25592-02514A-25 2025978__2025978c1 basin management action plans and recommended reductions for load allocations and wasteload allocations for pollutants of concern.

(3) By December 31, 2026, the department,Department of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the water management districts and sewage disposal facilities, shall submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a report outlining a priority ranking process to upgrade all sewage disposal facilities with a permitted capacity of greater than 1 million gallons per day in thethis state to advanced wastewastewater treatment by 2036, based on all of the following:

(b)Page Estimated3 reductionof in4 nutrientCODING: and pollutant loads with advanced waste treatment.

(c) An explanation of additional projects necessary to meet any adopted total maximum daily loads and basin management Page 3 of 4 CODING:

Florida Senate - 2025 CS for SB 978 26-00769-25592-02514A-25 2025978__2025978c1 action(b) plansEstimated ifreduction upgradingin tonutrient advancedand wastepollutant treatmentloads iswith notadvanced sufficient.wastewater treatment.

(c) An explanation of additional projects necessary to meet any adopted total maximum daily loads and basin management action plans if upgrading to advanced wastewater treatment is not sufficient.

(f) Project readiness and the estimated date of completion.

(4) By June 30, 2027, the department,Department of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the water management districts and sewage disposal facilities, shall submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a progress report on the status of upgrades established under subsection (3) for each sewage disposal facility with a permitted capacity of greater than 1 million gallons per day in this state.

The report must include a list of the sewagepriority disposallist facilitiesidentified withpursuant a permitted capacity of greater than 1 million gallons per day required to upgradesubsection to(3), advanced wastewater treatment, the preliminary cost estimates for the upgrades, a projected timeline of the dates by which the upgrades willwould begin and be completed, and the date by which operations of the upgraded sewage disposal facilityfacilities willwould begin.