Domestic
Wastewater Wetland Sites in Florida
There are
essentially two general types of domestic wastewater wetlands -
natural and man-made (constructed) wetlands. Chapter 62-611, FAC,
wastewater
to wetlands rule, breaks natural wetlands into receiving and
treatment wetlands. The difference between the two is explained
below. For permitted purposes the wastewater to wetlands rule
further classifies natural wetlands as hydrologically-altered or
not. The intent of classifying certain wastewater wetlands as
hydrologically-altered is to restore or prevent a previous or
potential loss of wetland acreage. The use of hydrologically-altered
wetland as well as creating wetlands for effluent polishing are both
considered
reuse of reclaimed water
activities, according to Chapter
62-610, FAC.
Some domestic
wastewater facilities utilize a combination of more than one of
these types, typically man-made wetlands and natural wetlands. There
are 17 natural (both treatment and receiving) wastewater wetlands
comprising roughly 6,200 acres and a total of 21 constructed wetland
sites comprising roughly 4,000 acres across Florida. Of those, 5
facilities use a combination of both natural and constructed wetland
systems, making that a total of 33 permitted domestic wastewater
wetland sites in the state of Florida. A complete list of these
wastewater wetlands sites is provided below according to their
classification.
Natural
Receiving Wetlands
Receiving
wetlands receive the highest level of treatment - advanced waste
treatment (AWT) standards. This is equivalent to not more than, on
an annual average basis, 5 mg/L of CBOD, 5 mg/L of TSS, 3 mg/L of TN
and 1 mg/L of TP, along with basic disinfection.
- Baisden Swamp,
City of Jasper WWTP (since 1914)
Permitted for 1.2 MGD, approx. 218 acres of freshwater, forested
wetlands
- Bayou
Marcus Wetlands (since 1998)
Bayou Marcus Water Reclamation Facility, ECUA
Permitted for 8.2 MGD to approx. 1,100 acres of freshwater,
forested wetlands
- Blacks Ford
Swamp (since 1999)
Blacks Ford Regional WWTF (formerly St. Johns County North),
United Water Florida
Permitted for 0.49 MGD to approx. 311 acres of freshwater,
forested wetlands
- Boot Wetland Treatment System, Poinciana Utilities (since
1985)
Permitted for 0.255 MGD to approx. 115 acres of cypress-gum
wetlands - East Bay Swamp
(since 1996)
Hurlburt Field Advanced WWTF, US Air Force
Permitted 1.0 MGD to approx. 700 acres of freshwater, forested
wetlands
- Huckleberry
Swamp, City of Apalachicola WWTP (since 1985)
Permitted for 1.0 MGD to approx. 243 acres of freshwater,
scrub-shrub wetlands
- Isolated
Receiving Wetland Reuse Site (since 1999)
East Central Regional WWTF, City of West Palm Beach
Permitted for 6 MGD to approx. 1,458 acres of wet prairies (part
of the Loxahatchee Slough) and 323 acres of woody restoration
wetlands
- Leesburg WWTF
(since 1997)
Permitted for 0.57 MGD to approx. 500 acres in the Okahumpka
Swamp
- Port of the
Islands South (since 1994)
Permitted for 0.2 MGD to approx. 35 acres of cypress dome
wetlands
- Yulee Swamp,
Yulee Regional WWTF (since 1996)
Permitted for 0.5 MGD to approx. 350 acres of mixed deciduous
swamp
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Natural
Treatment Wetlands
Treatment
wetlands must receive effluent that has been treated to at least
secondary standards (20 mg/L of CBOD and 20 mg/L of TSS) with
nitrification and basic disinfection. Monitoring standards within a
treatment wetland are more extensive and frequent to ensure that the
type, nature and function of the wetland is being protected.
- Deer Park
Wetlands (since 1988)
Deer Park Subregional Reuse Facility, Pasco County Utilities
Department
Permitted for 1.2 MGD to approx. 146 acres of cypress dome
wetlands
- Pace Swamp,
Pace Water Systems, Inc. (since 1999)
Permitted for 1.0 MGD to approx. 140 acres of freshwater,
forested wetlands
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Man-Made
(Constructed) Wetlands
Constructed
wetlands are engineered systems created from uplands that have been
designed to utilize the natural processes of wetlands to assist in
the polishing wastewater effluent. Some of these systems are
operated with the sole purpose of treating effluent, while others
are also being used as a water source for the creation of wetland
habitat for wildlife use, environmental enhancement and public
recreation.
- Blue Heron
Water Reclamation Facility, City of Titusville (since 1990)
Permitted for 6.75 MGD to approx. 264 acres of constructed
wetlands
- City of Ft
Meade WWTF (since 1992)
Permitted for 1.0 MGD to approx. 168.4 acres of constructed
wetlands
- City
of Lakeland, W. Carl Dicks WWTP (since 1987)
Permitted for 14.0 MGD to approx. 1,400 acres of constructed
wetlands
- Glades County
WWTP (since 2000)
Permitted for 0.135 MGD to 52.25 acres of non-discharging
constructed wetlands
-
Green Cay Wetlands (since 2005)
NEW!
Palm Beach County Southern Region (see also Wakodahatchee below)
Permitted for 5.0 MGD to approx. 125 acres of constructed wetlands -
High Springs
Commercial Park (since 2002)
Permitted for 0.03 MGD to approx. 5 acres of constructed wetland
- Hilliard
Regional WWTP (since 1996)
Permitted for 0.32 MGD to approx. 5 acres of constructed
wetlands
- Orlando
Easterly Wetlands (since 1987)
Iron Bridge Regional Water Pollution Control Facility
Permitted for 35 MGD to approx. 1,220 acres of constructed
wetlands
- Orange County
Northwest WRF (since 2002)
Permitted for 3.0 MGD to approx. 70 acres of constructed wetland
- Petro PSC
Truckstop WWTF (since 1995)
Permitted for 0.05 MGD to approx. 6 acres of constructed
wetlands
- Rice Creek
Utility (since 1998)
Permitted for 0.225 MGD to approx. 2.18 acres of constructed
wetlands
- Spencer WWTF,
Clay County Utility Authority
Permitted for 0.5 MGD to approx. 2.3 acres of constructed
wetlands that discharge to Spencer Wetland (a
700-acre natural wetland not permitted as a "receiving
wetland" per Rule 62-611.650(2), FAC)
- Viera Wetlands (since 2002)
South Central Regional WWTF, Brevard County Utilities Department
Permitted for 2.5 MGD to approx. 163 acres of created wetland
system
- Wakodahatchee
Wetland (since 1997)
Palm Beach County Southern Region (see also Green Cay
above)
Permitted for 2.0 MGD to approx. 50 acres of constructed
wetlands
- West Regional
WWTF, Indian River County Utility (since 1994)
Permitted for 4.0 MGD to approx. 169 acres of treatment/reuse
system
- Yankee Lake
Wetland Reuse System (since 1990)
NW Regional WWTF, Seminole County
Permitted for 2.5 MGD to approx. 145 acres of man-made wetlands
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Combination
Natural and Man-Made Wetlands
These
systems are a combination of man-made wetlands and natural wetlands.
In all cases discharge occurs first to constructed
wetlands for further polishing of the effluent before being
discharged to a natural wetland.
- Northwood AWT Treatment & Effluent Disposal System (since
1989)
Permitted for 0.25 MGD through 10.5 acres of duel channel
constructed wetlands to 33 acres of natural receiving wetlands -
Orange County
Eastern Service Area (OCESA) Wetlands (since 1988)
Eastern Water Reclamation Facility, Orange County Public
Utilities Division
Permitted for 6.2 MGD to approx. 150 acres of combined
constructed wetlands and approx. 150 acres of natural receiving
wetlands
- State Road 16
WWTP, St. Johns County Utility Department
Permitted for 0.396 MGD through four zones of man-made wetlands to
approx. 67 acres of hydrologically-altered treatment wetlands
- Waldo
Wetlands (since 1999)
Permitted for 0.099 MGD through approx. 50 acres of constructed wetlands and
approx. 100 acres of natural receiving wetlands
- Wolf Creek
Swamp, City of Monticello WWTP (since 1988)
Permitted for 1.0 MGD through 33.3 acres of constructed wetlands
to approx. 250 acres of natural, receiving wetlands (blackgum-sweetbay
swamp)
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