Subject:
Title
Submission of three Florida Department of Environmental Protection Financial Responsibility Forms for Class 1 Injection Well permit applications at South Cross Bayou Advanced Water Reclamation Facility and W.E. Dunn Water Reclamation Facility.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval of three Florida Department of Environmental Protection Financial Responsibility Forms for Class 1 Injection Well permit applications at South Cross Bayou Advanced Water Reclamation Facility and W.E. Dunn Water Reclamation Facility.
• Completed forms provide assurance County will abandon injection wells if they become inoperable or no longer needed.
• There is no plan to abandon the three injection wells currently.
• Cost to abandon the three injection wells, if necessary, is $640,000.00.
• County must provide assurance funds are available every thirty months upon permit issuance.
• Forms require signature and notarization to meet the regulatory requirements.
• This obligation is not budgeted in the current year budget of the Utilities Department. If abandonment of the wells does occur, a budget amendment will be submitted to Board of County Commissioners to make funding available from the Utilities Revenue and Operating Fund - Reserves Contingencies.
Total estimated obligation is $640,000.00; Authorize the Chairman to sign the applications.
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Strategic Priorities:
Resilient Infrastructure and Environment
1.4 Improve environmental quality.
Smart Service Delivery
4.4 Pursue continuous improvement.
Summary:
Summary
The Financial Responsibility Forms for the three (3) Class 1 Injection Well permit applications include two (2) for South Cross Bayou Advanced Water Reclamation Facility (SCBAWRF) and one (1) for the W.E. Dunn Water Reclamation Facility (WEDWRF). In order to utilize the wells as intended for effluent disposal during periods of high rainfall and low reclaimed water demand, the wells must be permitted as a Class 1 injection wells. The Utilities Department (Utilities) intends to move forward by completing these three (3) wells to achieve compliance and increase the operational flexibility of the two (2) water reclamation facilities. Injection wells are the most cost-effective solution to comply with state laws requiring the elimination of surface water discharges.
The WEDWRF injection well was completed in October 2025 at the DWRF site as an exploratory well. The WEDWRF well has been drilled, however, surface facilities must be designed and built to bring the well online. To utilize this injection well as an effluent disposal, the well must be re-permitted to a Class 1 injection well.
The two (2) planned SCBAWRF injection wells are required to comply with Senate Bill 64 (SB-64) and are currently in design with no construction activities having been started. One (1) injection well will be located at the McKay Creek Booster Station, and one (1) injection well will be located at Lake Seminole Park. A Class 1 Injection Well permit is required for each injection well before construction can begin. Construction of the two (2) injection wells are planned to start in late 2026.
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Background Information:
In response to Senate Bill 64, Utilities has conducted a comprehensive evaluation of effluent management strategies for the South Cross Bayou Advanced Water Reclamation Facility. The conclusion of that evaluation, which was performed by Hazen and Sawyer, was that two new deep injection wells were necessary to achieve compliance. The Dunn Exploratory Well was constructed at the W.E. Dunn Water Reclamation Facility and completed in October 2025.
Fiscal Impact:
The submission of the applications, including the certification of financial responsibility, creates an obligation if the injection wells are abandoned. There is no fiscal impact unless abandonment occurs. If abandonment of the wells does occur, a budget amendment will be submitted to Board of County Commissioners to make funding available from the Utilities Revenue and Operating Fund - Reserves Contingencies.
Staff Member Responsible:
Jeremy Waugh, Director, Utilities
Partners:
FDEP
Attachments:
Application and Location Map - Dunn Facility
Application and Location Map - Lake Seminole Park
Application and Location Map - McKay Creek