Proposed law would eliminate pumping sewage water into the ocean by 2025

By John Johnston
Managing Editor

While not stopping perfectly good water from being pumped into the ocean, elimination of pumping even treated sewage water into that same ocean would mark the “transition to a more responsible future,” House Majority Leader Adam Hasner (R-Delray Beach) told the Boca Raton News.

Called “ocean outfalls”, currently six facilities in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade Counties discharge approximately 300 million gallons of treated domestic wastewater directly into the Atlantic Ocean every day. House passage of HB 7139 and Senate passage of SB 1302 (and now called the Leah Shad Memorial Ocean Outfall Program) moves a long-held goal dramatically forward, Hasner said – the goal of providing for cleaner sewage water being pumped into the ocean, and then by eventual elimination of that pumping altogether.

Proponents of the bill point to Governor Crist’s praise for it in a letter to the legislature following the recent adjournment. If he in fact signs it, the law would:

• Require sewage water ocean outfalls to achieve Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT) standards by 2018.
• Require elimination of all such ocean outfalls by Dec. 31, 2025.Date Certain

Named after longtime West Palm Beach environmentalist Leah Schad, the law has as an overarching mandate that requires the South Florida Water Management District (SFWND) to include water supply development projects that promote the elimination of ocean outfalls in its regional water supply plan – and also requires priority status for state and SFWMD funding for implementation of this program.

“In addition to improving capacity to preserve our water supply by promoting reclaimed water reuse to a threshold of 60 percent, the legislation sets a date certain to fully eliminate ocean discharge,” said Hasner. 

"This legislation recognizes we must end the dumping of wastewater off our beaches, and sets in motion the transition to a more responsible future," he added. "Our coastal waters are a critical environmental and economic resource for Florida, and this bill makes sure we treat them that way.  On a personal note, I am pleased to have named the bill after my friend and longtime environmental advocate Leah Schad."

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