Proposed legislation looks to restore septic inspections

New legislation filed by state Rep. Will Robinson (R-Bradenton) looks to restore inspection requirements on septic tanks that were eased at the height of the Great Recession.

“I heard about nothing else more than red tide during the course of my campaign,” Robinson said. “Even at my victory party, a supporter said to me, ‘Will, do something. Big or small, do something about red tide.’ “

This may fall into the former category. Septic tank leakage this year was frequently cited among the sources of nutrients feeding both the blue-green algae in Lake Okeechobee and the red tide blooms on the east and west coast.

Now, Robinson has filed his first piece of legislation (HB 85) with the aim at curtailing nutrients seeping from the coast to the sea.

“A critical issues I heard about was faulty septic tanks, which have in my view contributed excess nutrients into the waterways,” he said.

Of course, there’s been disagreement on the worst culprits behind red tide and blue-green algae.

And Robinson for his part also promised in the campaign in Florida House District 71 to hold polluters to account and fund land acquisition program Florida Forever.

But plenty of investigations in recent years have shown poor septic tanks bear some blame.