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Committee approves requirement for DEP to inventory large sewage plants and plan upgrades to advanced treatment
Summary
CS/CS/SB 978 would require the Department of Environmental Protection to report on permitted sewage facilities above a 1,000,000 gpd capacity, prioritize upgrades to advanced wastewater treatment, and submit progress reports; senators adopted an amendment and reported the bill favorably.
Tallahassee — The committee voted to report favorably on CS/CS/SB 978, a bill explained by Sen. Berman that would require the Department of Environmental Protection to inventory high‑capacity sewage facilities, rank upgrade priorities for advanced wastewater treatment and provide progress reports and cost estimates.
Sponsor remarks: Sen. Berman said Florida has roughly 2,000 permitted domestic wastewater treatment facilities, many aging and not fully equipped to remove contaminants such as heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides and microplastics. The bill sets a three‑part “road map”: a DEP report due December 2025 on facilities above 1,000,000 gallons per day; a ranking to prioritize upgrades by December 2036; and progress reports with cost estimates and timelines.
Amendment and committee action: The committee adopted a strike‑all amendment (barcode 308288) during the hearing; the sponsor explained the amendment before closing. Sen. Berman said the bill aims to give the Legislature better information to prioritize wastewater investments and to target limited funding to the most critical upgrades.
Why it matters: Testimony noted that advanced treatment is more effective at removing contaminants but is an expensive proposition. The bill does not appropriate funds; rather, it requires DEP to supply an information and prioritization framework to guide investment decisions.
Vote: The committee reported CS/CS/SB 978 favorably by roll call. The sponsor said the bill will help prioritize major wastewater investments and enable more strategic use of state funds and federal grants in future budgets.
