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Water-Related News

Suncoast Waterkeeper wants hearing on Palmetto wastewater permit

PALMETTO — Suncoast Waterkeeper has asked the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for a public meeting on the renewal of the City of Palmetto's permit to operate its existing wastewater treatment facility just east of Snead Island, based on the city's "significant history of non-compliance with its existing and previous permits."

In May, the City of Palmetto applied to the Department of Environmental Protection for a permit renewal to operate an existing 2.4 million gallons per day wastewater treatment facility near the Tropic Isles RV Park. The facility, which is sandwiched between Terra Ceia Bay and the Manatee River, can discharge 1.4 mgd of effluent into Terra Ceia Bay and intermittently discharge from a stormwater storage lake system at Terra Ceia Bay Golf and Tennis Club.

The permit would also authorize the land application of 2.1 mgd of reclaimed water to a public access system and injection of 2.4 million gallons a day of reclaimed wastewater to an underground injection well system, which discharges to groundwater. FDEP has issued a notice of a draft permit for the application (click here to view).