Exh 3C~" 3C
FLORIDA DEPARTMFNr OF R[C~ ~ ~ ~ /~ ~ /l O
Jeb Bush ~~ '~"~ i Robert G. Brooks, M.D.
Governor Secretary
February 4, 2000
Maureen King, City Clerk
City of Atlantic Beach Florida
800 Seminole Road
Atlantic Beach, Florida 32233-5445
Re: Septic Tank and Onsite Sewage Disposal Systems questions and issues.
Dear Ms. King:
This is in response to your request for information regarding septic tank issues and Onsite Sewage
Disposal System information. I apologize for the delay. I have just recently moved my office, and it
took my awhile to locate the information that had been compiled. I hope the following information, in
addition to the enclosed documentation, answers your questions.
Septic Tank and Onsite Sewage Disposal Systems are generally satisfactory for their use and purpose of
disposing of domestic liquid waste. Whenever Onsite Sewage Disposal Systems are properly designed,
sited, constructed, inspected and operated, these systems are effective and efficient wastewater treatment
facilities for domestic waste. Currently, to the best of our knowledge, septic tank and drainfield systems
do not pose any adverse threat to the environment in Atlantic Beach, Florida. Please refer to the attached
documentation for additional information.
The Department of Health, Duval County Health Department, requires homeowners on septic tank and
drainfield systems to connect to sewer systems, within 365 days of notification that the system is
available for connection. The publicly owned or investor-owned sewerage system must notify the owner
of the onsite sewage disposal system of the availability of the central sewerage system. Please see
attached documents for more detailed information. In addition, the department requires the owner of a
system that needs repair or modification to connect to an available publicly owned or investor-owned
sewerage system.
The Duval County Health Department provides directives, i.e. rules, regulations, policies and
procedures, regarding installation and abandonment of septic tank systems, which are enclosed.
The Duval County Health Department does not receive notification from the Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) when and where sewer lines have been completed. We try and
coordinate with local utilities to provide us with that information. Septic tank applications are not
approved whenever we are aware that central sewerage is available. Please see attachments for more
detailed information regarding the standard operating procedure for handling septic tank system
applications.
Catherine H. Berry, Esquire
Chief Legal Counsel
DUVAL COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
515 West 6`~ Street, Suite 207, Jacksonville, Florida 32205
Telephone (904) 630-3362 or SC 853-3362/Facsimile (904) 359-2666
In partnership with the City of Jacksonville
'" Ms. Maureen King
February 4, 2000
Page Two
If I can be of any further assistance to you regarding this matter, please contact me or
Terry Shipley, Environmental Supervisor II, Onsite Sewage Program, at your
convenience.
Re ctfully,
Catherine Berry
Chief-Legal Counsel
Attachments
Cc: Aaron Hilliard, Ph.D., Environmental Administrator `
Terry Shipley, Environmental Supervisor II, Onsite Sewage Program
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
HEALT _.
Jeb Bush Robert G. Brooks, M.D.
Governor Secreta
Where properly sited, designed, constructed, and operated, onsite sewage systems aze
effective and efficient wastewater treatment facilities. Because many continue to believe
that onsite wastewater treatment systems cannot meet public health and environmental
protection goals and are designed only to be interim facilities until sewers are available,
units of government have attempted to severely restrict or ban their use. However,
conventional sewerage is not economically feasible in most rural azeas. Onsite sewage
treatment and disposal systems are needed ascost-effective alternatives to provide safe
and environmental sound wastewater treatment in unsewered areas.
Under proper site and operating conditions, conventional septic tank systems aze capable
of neazly complete removal of biodegradable organics, suspended soils, and fecal '
coliforms. These aze parameters, which have been traditionally monitored as a means of ~ ,
. assessing wastewater treatment performance. Groundwater monitoring below properly
sited, designed, constructed, and operated subsurface infiltration systems has shown
BODS, suspended solids, fecal indicators, and surfactants to be effectively removed
within 2 to 5 feet in unsaturated, aerobic soil. Phosphorous and metals can be removed
through adsorption, ion exchange, and precipitation reactions, but the capacity of soil to
retain these ions is finite and varies with soil mineralogy, organic content, pH, redox
potential, and cation exchange capacity. The fate and transport of viruses is largely
unknown, but evidence is growing that some types of virus able to leach with wastewater
from subsurface infiltration systems to groundwater. Fine texture soil, low hydraulic
loadings, aerobic subsoils, and high temperatures favor virus destruction. Toxic organics
appear to be removed in aerobic subsoils, but further study of the fate and transport of
these compounds is needed. Public health and environmental risks from properly sited,
designed, constructed, and operated septic tank systems appear to be low. However, use
of conventional septic tank system technology in high-density developments or
e~v~'p}}j~~}}~~~}y ~~}~sitive areas could increase these risks to unacceptable levels.
Reference: Ayres Associates. Onsite Sewage Disposal System Research in Florida; An Evaluation of Current OSDS
Practices in Florida. March 1993.
Sewerab;10/99
__
Duval County Health Department
Environmental Health/Engineering Division • 900 University Blvd. N., Suite 300 • Jacksonville, Florida • 32211
(904) 630-3260 • FAX (904) 745-3016
In partnership with the City of Jacksonville
~• ~L 111r
Jeb Bush .Robert G. Brooks, M.D.
Governor _ _ Secretary
381.00655 Connection of existing onsite sewage treatment and
disposal systems to central sewerage system; requirements.
(1)(a) The owner of a properly functioning onsite sewage treatment and disposal system, excluding an approved
•~ onsite graywater system, must connect the system or the building's plumbing to an available publicly owned
sewerage system within 365 days after written notification by the owner of the publicly owned or investor-owned
sewerage system that the system is available for connection. The publicy owned or investor-owned sewerage
; system must notify the owner of the onsite sewage treatment and disposal system of the availability of the central
~' sewerage system. No less than 1 year prior to the date the sewerage system will become available, the publicly
owned or investor-owned-sewerage system shall notify the affected o~iner of the onsite sewage treatment and
. disposal systeru of the anticipated availability of the sewerage system and shall also notify the owner that the
owner will be required to connect fo the sewerage system within 1 y ,ar c,f the actual availability. The owner shall
have the option of prepaying the amortized value of required connection charges in equal monthly installments .
over a period not to exceed 2 years from the date of the initial notification of anticipated availability. Nothing in
this section shall operate to impair contracts or other binding obligations relating to payment schedules in existen~
as of October 1, 1993. Nothing in this paragraph limits the .power of a municipality or county to enforce other law
. for the protection of the public health and safety.
(b) The owner of an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system that needs repair or modification to
• function in a sanitary manner or to comply with the requirements of ss.381.0065-381.0067 or rules adopted unde
those sections must connect to an available publicly owned or investor-owned sewerage system within 90 days
~• after written notification from the department. In hazdship cases, upon request of the owner, the department may
approve an extension of not more than 90 days for sewerage connection. The department may approve only one
• extension. This. paragraph does not authorize the owner of the onsite sewage treatment and disposal system to
create or maintain a sanitary nuisance.
(2) The provisions of subsection (1) or any other f,_ovision of law to the contrary notwithstanding:
,- (a) The local governing body of the jurisdiction in which the owner of the onsite sewage treatment and
disposal system resides may provide that any connection fee charged hider this section by an investor~o~vned
sewerage system may be paid without interest in monthly installments, over a period of time not to exceed 5 yeaz
from the date the sewerage system becomes available if it determines that the owner has demonstrated a financial
hazdship. The local governing body shall establish criteria for making this determination which take into account
~;~ the owner's net worth;'income, and financial needs.
•~ (b) A publicly owned or investor-owned sewerage system may, with the approval of the department, wain
the requirement of mandatory onsite sewerage disposal connection if it determines that such connection is not
required in the public interest due to public health considerations.
~ -
• connccidce
~a
• Duval County Health Department
Onsite Sewage Program
Environmental Health/EngineeringDlvision • 900 University Boulevazd N., Suite 300 • Jacksonville, Florida • 32211
Phone 630-3274 SC 853-3274 FAX ?45-3016
In partnership with the City afJacksomitle