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CHAPTER 4 PUBLIC FACILITIES TABLE OF CONTENTS SANITARY SEWER SOLID WASTE STORM AND SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT POTABLE WATER PUBLIC FACILITIES PLAN ......... 4-80 Public Facilities Chapter
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CHAPTER 4 PUBLIC FACILITIES Sanitary Sewer Introduction Since 1991, it has been established County policy to take a lead role in the development and operation of a central sewer system. Factors such as rapid growth and reliance upon private enterprise for the provision of wastewater treatment systems had resulted in the construction of 116 wastewater treatment plants and approximately 30,000 onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems in the urbanized area of Sarasota County by 1991. By January 1997, Sarasota County had made significant progress in implementing its policies and plans to create a central sewer system, and the number of plants had been reduced to 83. This Sanitary Sewer Section describes the status of both centralized wastewater treatment plants and onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems as of January 1997. Centralized wastewater treatment facilities are described in the section that immediately follows. Onsite sewage treatment and disposal facilities are discussed in a separate section that follows the discussion of centralized facilities. Brief summaries are provided of the legislation that affects both types of systems, and the planning studies and adopted plans that provide the direction for County activities. Data is provided on the location and design capacity of wastewater treatment plants, and the location of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems within the urbanized area. The analyses describe both the problems and the progress that has been made in dealing with various concerns related to the handling and disposal of sewage. The concluding section sets forth the recommended level of service. Wastewater Treatment Facilities Legislation Any entity processing more than 2,000 gallons of sewage per day must treat wastewater through a centralized wastewater treatment system. The following are the relevant laws which govern wastewater treatment including a brief description of each. U.S. Public Law 92-500, "Federal Water Pollution Control Act", relates to the provision of sanitary sewer service with the goal of restoring or maintaining the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters. In the first years after the 1972 passage of this act, areawide wastewater treatment and management plans were developed to ensure adequate control of source polluters. Public Facilities Chapter
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Section 201 grants were available to local governments for the construction of facilities which would treat "point sources" of pollution including sewage treatment facilities. Sections 403.085 and 403.086, Florida Statutes, "Sewage Disposal Facilities: Advanced and Secondary Waste Treatment," as amended, in part, and Chapters 62-4, "Permitting", and 62-600 "Wastewater Facilities," Florida Administrative Code, implement Public Law 92-500 at the State level. Chapters 62-4 and 62-600, 62-601, 62-604, 62-610 and 62-640, Florida Administrative Code, as amended, provide for rules regarding the permitting, construction and operation of wastewater treatment facilities, including regulations establishing minimum water quality standards for the discharge of treated effluent and residuals from domestic wastewater facilities. Chapter 62-660, Florida Administrative Code, regulates industrial wastewater facilities and establishes minimum water quality standards for the discharge of the treated wastewater into the environment or into a domestic wastewater collection system. Sections 403.085 and 403.086, Florida Statutes, establish requirements for the treatment and reuse or disposal of domestic wastewater. Prior to October 1, 1990, Section 403.086, Florida Statutes, required wastewater effluent to be treated to a minimum of secondary treatment, and to the extent necessary, required disinfection and pH control, as defined respectively in Sections 62-600.440 and 62-600.445, Florida Administrative Code, prior to discharge into holding ponds, disposal systems or surface waters. A 1987 amendment to Section 403.086, Florida Statutes, the Grizzle-Figg bill, mandated advanced waste treatment (AWT) by October 1, 1990 for wastewater treatment plants which employ surface water discharge. Surface waters included Sarasota Bay, Little Sarasota Bay, Roberts Bay, Lemon Bay, Charlotte Harbor Bay, and any river, stream, channel, canal, bay, bayou, or sound, or other water tributary thereto. Sarasota County Ordinance Nos. 82-90 and 87-139 define AWT and require wastewater treatment plants, proposed expansions to existing plants and plants currently operating with advanced wastewater treatment standards which discharge to off-site surface waters to meet AWT standards. In 1994, the Florida Legislature enacted the AFlorida APRICOT (A Prototype Realistically Innovative Community of Today) Act@, which amended Sections 403.086 and 403.859, Florida Statutes, regarding the reuse of wastewater effluent. The legislation allows for backup discharges to surface waters not exceeding 30 percent of the permitted capacity during periods of reduced demand for reclaimed water when certain conditions are met. Chapter 62-4 sets forth procedures on how to obtain a permit from the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and provides requirements and procedures for the issuance, denial, renewal, extension, transfer, modification, suspension and revocation of any permit required by the FDEP. Chapters 62-600 and 62-610 provide minimum standards for the design of domestic wastewater facilities and establish minimum treatment and disinfection requirements for the operation of domestic wastewater facilities. Chapter 62-601 ensures that owners and operators of domestic wastewater treatment facilities maintain accurate records and submit reports in a timely, accurate and uniform manner. Chapter 62-602, 61-E121, and 62-699 provide for Operator Certification to assure that qualified and certified operations personnel operate wastewater treatment plants. Public Facilities Chapter
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Chapter 62-604, Florida Administrative Code, provides minimum design, operation and maintenance standards for domestic wastewater collection/transmission systems. The FDEP requires a general permit for the construction of wastewater collection and transmission facilities. The general permit is essentially a 30-day notice of construction, which is granted automatically. The FDEP also requires a specific "dryline" permit for the construction of proposed expansions to the collection or transmission system when wastewater treatment facilities lack an operating permit (expired permit) or are significantly non-compliant (no available capacity and other violations). The Sarasota County Utilities Department (SUD) conducts the FDEP plan reviews for collection and transmission facilities. SUD also reviews wastewater treatment plant construction plans and coordinates this review with the Pollution Control Division. Comments are then provided to the FDEP. Sarasota County requires construction permits for construction of new, and expansion or modification, of existing wastewater treatment plants and transmission and collection systems. The Sarasota County "Uniform Water, Wastewater and Reuse System Code", adopted by Ordinance No. 95-068, regulates new construction and modifications to existing water, wastewater and reuse systems in the unincorporated area of Sarasota County. The Code establishes minimum guidelines, standards and technical specifications for the construction of new and the extension of existing water, wastewater and reuse collection and transmission systems and requires inspection during construction by a certifying engineer. The ordinance also provides for spot checks by County Utilities Department staff and requires that a Certificate of Completion be issued prior to use. Although the FDEP requires a minimum setback for the construction of wastewater treatment plants, the Sarasota County Zoning Ordinance establishes more stringent setback requirements for the construction of wastewater treatment facilities. New wastewater treatment plants, and extensions and expansions of existing facilities must be setback a minimum of 150 - 500 feet from the franchise or service area boundary and/or any residential structure. Proposed construction of new wastewater treatment plants is reviewed by the Sarasota County Construction and Property Standards Department as part of Site and Development Plan review. The FDEP also requires permits for the operation of wastewater treatment plants and monitors effluent water quality. Sarasota County reviews FDEP wastewater treatment plant operation permit applications through a general operating agreement with FDEP. The Sarasota County Natural Resources Department is seeking a specific operating agreement with FDEP which will grant the County more responsibility in the issuance of operating permits for wastewater treatment facilities. State regulations require operation permits for wastewater treatment facilities to be renewed every five years and when expansions or improvements occur. As part of permit renewal, the Sarasota County Pollution Control Division conducts a complete inspection. Also, State legislation requires the Engineer of Record to certify that the wastewater treatment facility complies with the permit requirements. Chapter 62-610, Florida Administrative Code, provides for the regulation of both the disposal and reuse of reclaimed water (treated effluent). Disposal can include deep well injection and off-site Public Facilities Chapter
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discharge to surface waters. The rule also contains specific reuse and land application requirements. Reuse generally includes the use of percolation ponds and spray irrigation. Consistent with the provisions of Resolution Nos. 91-101 and 94-277 adopting the Reuse Master Plan, Sarasota County is continuing to examine other reuse alternatives including methods which could augment potable water supplies. The regulations require the operators of wastewater treatment plants to submit monthly operating reports. The Monthly Operating Reports include information concerning effluent quality (for example, total suspended solids, bio-chemical oxygen demand, fecal coliform and nitrates) and daily operating data (for example, flow, chlorine residual, pH, and staffing time). The FDEP also has regulations regarding sanitary sewer facilities that are near capacity. Section 62-600.405 of the Florida Administrative Code, "Planning for Wastewater Facilities Expansion", requires permittees of facilities to monitor and compare actual flows with the permitted capacities, to submit capacity analysis reports on a scheduled basis and to provide for timely planning, design and construction of wastewater facilities, as necessary, in accordance with the stated schedule in the rule. This rule was adopted in January 1991 and it is significant in that it greatly increased the accountability required of permittees of facilities with respect to monitoring the facilities' capacity status. To ensure the enforcement of regulations concerning wastewater treatment facility construction and operation, including effluent water quality standards and disposal, Sarasota County adopted Ordinance No. 96-020 in April 1996. This ordinance, which is known as the AWater Pollution Control Code@, adopts all provisions of Chapter 403, Florida Statutes, that relate to the regulation of domestic wastewater facilities, ground- and surface-water quality standards, and the general and specific conditions of FDEP permits. The adoption of the FDEP regulations also increased the enforcement power of the Sarasota County Pollutant Control Division. Planning Studies and Efforts Numerous wastewater treatment studies have been conducted since the late 1960's. In 1967 the Report on the Engineering and Economic Feasibility of Water and Sanitary Sewerage Systems for the County of Sarasota (1) analyzed the consolidation of existing County wastewater treatment franchises and contained a general discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of private versus public ownership of wastewater treatment systems. The 1970 Engineering and Cost Analysis of Water and Wastewater Systems (2) expanded upon the 1967 report. It recommended the development of centralized wastewater treatment facilities for the fast-growing unincorporated areas in North Sarasota County surrounding the City of Sarasota. With regard to short-range disposal, it proposed two County-owned service areas utilizing deep well injection, and recommended the investigation of landspreading as a long-range effluent disposal technique. The June 1971 Water and Wastewater Systems Master Plan for Sarasota County (3) expanded the recommended service areas of the 1970 study to include sewer service for all of the urbanized areas Public Facilities Chapter
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of Sarasota County, including developed areas near the City of Venice. It also divided the County into five pollution control zones and assessed the water and wastewater needs of each zone through the year 2000. The 1975 Central County Pollution Control Zone Engineering and Cost Analysis of Water and Wastewater Systems (4) focused on water and wastewater problems in the central County area (in and around Venice), and presented cost estimates associated with its recommended treatment program. Two years later, the Sarasota County 201 Facilities Plan (5) responded to the federally mandated Section 201 of Public Law 92- 500, the "Federal Water Pollution Control Act". It used the five pollution control zones developed in the Master Plan to subdivide the Sarasota County study area and presented detailed proposals for centralized wastewater treatment in the three most highly urbanized pollution control zones. The plan stated that "in order to achieve an environmentally sound and implementable wastewater treatment program for the Sarasota 201 Planning Area, complete regionalization will be required". Recommendations for the implementation of such a regionalization program included the acquisition of privately owned systems, the creation of utility districts and the creation of a Countywide or districtwide management authority. The Sarasota County Wastewater Treatment Advisory Committee was created in 1984. The community and industry representatives and County staff members who comprised the committee were instructed to evaluate the status of wastewater treatment systems in the southern portion of the County. In response to the Committee's report, the Board of County Commissioners adopted Resolution No. 84-122 which encourages the regionalization of central sewer systems, mandates connection to existing systems when available pursuant to State statutes, and encourages the reuse or recycling of treated sewage effluent. A 1986 report, the Wastewater Sludge Disposal Study, (6) detailed the problems with sludge disposal from the County's numerous separate wastewater treatment plants. Based upon an evaluation of alternatives, the following recommendations were made: - that the County adopt an interim plan whereby co-disposal of wastewater treatment plant sludge is conducted at the County's Septage Treatment Facility and approved landspreading facilities;
- that the County adopt a long-term plan recommending specific management techniques for sludge disposal; and
- that the County designate a single site for a sludge handling facility.
The study further recommended that prior to implementation, the County should consider developing regionalized wastewater treatment and disposal master plans. Public Facilities Chapter
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In December 1986, the County sponsored the Sarasota County Assembly for Wastewater Management, which was coordinated by the Florida Atlantic University Institute of Government, based on the recommendations of the Utilities Department. The Assembly was composed of over thirty experts representing city, county, and regional governments; public and private utilities; engineering firms; media editors and publishers; and civic and environmental organizations. This key assembly process marked a turning point in the public's acceptance of this program when members concluded that the existing fragmented system of wastewater treatment was inadequate and that the County government should take the lead role in addressing the County's wastewater treatment problems. Several community organizations, including the Argus Foundation, the Taxpayers Association of Sarasota County, the League of Women Voters and others in attendance at the conference expressed support for the Assembly's conclusions. This action prompted the Board of County Commissioners to publicly endorse plans regarding central water and sewer systems. Resolution No. 87-157 set forth the Board of County Commissioners' policy to develop a Sarasota County centralized utility system. The resolution recognized that development of such a system would require the regionalization of wastewater treatment plants, the acquisition of privately-owned systems, and the development of methods to recycle and reuse treated wastewater so as to conserve potable water and preserve water resources. Passage of the resolution represented a major step toward consolidation of the wastewater treatment plants in the unincorporated area of the County, and provided the direction for developing the County's Vision 20/20: Wastewater Resources Recovery Project study. The Vision 20/20: Wastewater Resources Recovery Project addressed the development of a comprehensive and regional wastewater and reuse utility in Sarasota County. The plan was adopted by the Board of County Commissioners in June 1990 as a Aconceptual planning tool@ and provided the basis for much of the County's most recent master planning efforts. (7) In April 1991, the Board of County Commissioners adopted Resolution No. 91-101 which directed and authorized the formation of a Utilities Acquisition Negotiating Team (ANT) and the preparation of the necessary requests for proposals for the use of the accounting, engineering and legal consultant services needed to implement certain objectives of the Vision 20/20 Master Plan. As part of Resolution No. 91-101, the Board adopted the Procedures Manual for Public Acquisition of Water and Utility Systems in Sarasota County, Florida as the procedural guide for the Utilities Acquisition Negotiating Team. In July 1993, the Board adopted the Franchise Acquisition, Consolidation, Implementation Plan - Wastewater Collection and Treatment Master Plan (8) prepared by the County Utilities Department. The document divides the unincorporated area of the County into four regions, the North, Central, South and Englewood Service Areas, and is an engineered master plan and implementation plan for providing wastewater service to these areas. The plan also includes a priority listing for the acquisition of franchise utilities in the County based on five criteria: the physical condition of the facility; the resulting cash flow of the utility after acquisition; the ability of the plant to meet Public Facilities Chapter
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environmental requirements and standards; the determination of the actual plant capacity; and, the size of the utility's customer base. The Master Plan was amended by the Board in November 1994 to include a component establishing reuse as a third utility within the Sarasota County Utilities Department. Adopted by Resolution No. 94-277, the Reuse Master Plan (9), contains regulatory, engineering, public education and marketing, and financial strategies for the development of a regional distribution and storage system for reuse. These strategies focus on providing reclaimed water and other potential supplemental sources, such as treated stormwater, to customers where it is needed and available to reduce the demand on potable water supplies and withdrawals from ground water aquifers. Like the Franchise Acquisition, Consolidation, Implementation Plan, the Reuse Master Plan is based on four regional service areas and contains a three-phase plan for implementation. Inventory As of January 1997, there were 83 wastewater treatment plants operating in Sarasota County. Seven of these plants were located in the Cities of Sarasota, Venice, and North Port. The remainder of the plants were located in the unincorporated area. The locations of the wastewater treatment plants are shown on Figure 4-1: Sarasota County Wastewater Treatment Plants. The facilities are grouped by the following categories: publicly owned systems; franchised utilities; and small, independently permitted facilities. The service areas of the public and franchised wastewater treatment plants in the unincorporated area are shown in Figure 4-2. The small, independently permitted facilities do not have service areas, as they provide service to specific properties. Information on the design capacity, average flow, gallons per day per person and type of land use served by each wastewater treatment plant can be found in Appendix D, Section 1. In Sarasota County, treated effluent is often used to irrigate golf courses, roadway medians and agricultural uses. Figure 4-3: Major Reuse Sites - Sarasota County Utilities System portrays the location of County-operated reuse sites. Municipal and privately owned irrigation sites used by privately owned wastewater treatment plants are not depicted on the map. Most privately-owned sites are golf courses and roadway medians located within developments. Chapter 62-610, Florida Administrative Code, assures water quality for the reuse of treated wastewater effluent from both public and private sources. These standards are monitored through the Sarasota County wastewater treatment monitoring program. The 1993 Master Plan divided the unincorporated area of the County into four regional wastewater treatment planning areas. The facilities located within each planning area, and on-going improvements scheduled in each area are described below. Public Facilities Chapter
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Figure 4-1: Wastewater Treatment Plants 
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Figure 4-2: Wastewater Treatment Plant Service Areas 
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Figure 4-3: Reuse Sites - Sarasota County Utilities System 
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North County Service Area The cornerstone of this service area is the Bee Ridge Water Reclamation Facility (BRWRF), the only regional plant that has been constructed by Sarasota County. The BRWRF was put into service in August 1995 to replace the smaller, aging Bent Tree plant (formerly Southeastern) that was acquired by the County in 1988. The BRWRF uses Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT) and has a design capacity of 1.5 MGD. The plant is currently permitted to treat 1.07 MGD based on available effluent disposal capacity. The highly treated effluent from the BRWRF is pumped to four golf courses in the immediate vicinity of the plant and used for irrigation. Two recent additions to the SUD system in the North Service Area are the Meadowood and Atlantic plants, acquired by the County in September 1996. The Meadowood facility has a permitted capacity of 984,000 gallons per day and uses an extended aeration process for treatment. The plant serves the Meadows development and surrounding neighborhoods. Treated effluent from the plant is used for spray irrigation and for the irrigation of three golf courses in the Meadows. The Atlantic plant (formerly Atlantic Utilities of Sarasota) uses an oxidation ditch process and is permitted to treat 1.75 MGD. The plant serves the former Atlantic Utilities franchise area, and the Southeast, Southfield and Tamaron service areas acquired by the County in 1993, 1994, and 1995, respectively. The Southeast, Southfield and Tamaron plants have been taken out of service and their flows have been diverted to the Atlantic plant. The County has received grant funds from the Southwest Florida Water Management District's (SWFWMD) Manasota Basin Board for the design and construction of additional reclaimed water lines in the North Service Area. The project, known as the Central Sarasota County Regional Reuse Project, will connect the County's Central County and Atlantic plants to the BRWRF, creating an interconnected reuse system. The other franchises in the North Service Area assumed by the County are the Country Manor and Proctor Road. In June 1996, the Board adopted Resolution No. 96-104 terminating the franchise agreement held by the Country Manor Homeowners Association, Inc., and directed the utility to connect to the County's system, once construction of a force main along Proctor Road was complete. When this line is available for service, the Country Manor system will be connected to the County's and flows diverted to the Central County plant for treatment. This is anticipated to occur in March 1997. Another small utility, Proctor Road, was acquired by the County in 1994 and is currently operated by SUD. Central Service Area The regional plant in this service area is the Central County Water Reclamation Facility (formerly Central County Utilities), acquired by Sarasota County in late 1995. The Central County plant has a permitted treatment capacity of 2 MGD and utilizes oxidation ditches and sand filtration treatment processes. Design is currently underway to expand the facility to a capacity of 4 MGD. Public Facilities Chapter
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The Central County plant has a permitted reclaimed water disposal capacity of 4 MGD. The primary uses for this reclaimed water are the Prestancia and the Oaks golf courses, and landscape irrigation along roadway medians and entrance ways in the surrounding Palmer Ranch development. Additional reuse storage capacity has also been constructed within the Central Service Area as part of the Central Sarasota County Regional Reuse Project discussed in the preceding section on the North Service Area. The County also operates the Flight Deck treatment plant located in the Central Service Area. Design is currently underway to construct a new force main and lift station which will allow flows from this plant to be diverted to Central County for treatment and the plant decommissioned. This project is scheduled to be completed in August 1997. South Service Area The City of Venice's Eastside plant was designated as the plant to serve the South Service Area in Sarasota County is Acquisition, Consolidation, Implementation Plan, Wastewater Collection and Treatment Master Plan. Sarasota County has an interlocal agreement with the City of Venice by which 350,000 gallons per day of the capacity of the plant are reserved for flows from the unincorporated area. The agreement also provides that any expansion of the Venice Eastside facility to meet additional County needs will be funded by Sarasota County. The County acquired the Curry Creek service area located within this region in 1988. There was no sewer infrastructure in the Curry Creek service area. At the request of landowners in the area, a Special Assessment District was formed by the Board of County Commissioners in 1993 to construct sewer infrastructure in the County's Curry Creek service area. In 1995 the County constructed a sewer force main and collection system in the region. Sewage flows from this service area are sent to the Venice Eastside plant for treatment. The Sorrento service area was also acquired in 1988. In order to comply with the Grizzle-Figg mandate, the Sorrento plant was taken out of service in 1991 and its flows diverted to the Central County plant for treatment. Construction of an upgraded lift station and force main to redirect sewage from the Sorrento system to the Eastside plant is currently underway. These actions have necessitated an expansion of the Eastside plant as outlined in the Interlocal Agreement. As of this writing, the City has retained a consulting engineer to prepare the design for expansion of the plant to 6 MGD. Englewood Service Area Most of SUD's recent master planning efforts have focused on the northerly portion of this service area. At present, the two Venice Gardens treatment plants, acquired by the County in late 1993, are acting as the regional treatment facility for the area. Public Facilities Chapter
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The Venice Gardens East Water Reclamation Facility is currently permitted to treat 1 MGD and uses extended aeration for treatment. Located west of the plant is the second Venice Gardens facility, the Briarwood treatment plant. Like the Venice Gardens plant, the Briarwood facility is permitted to treat 1 MGD and uses extended aeration and contact stabilization for treatment. SUD is currently planning for an upgrade and expansion of the two plants. Phase I of the project, presently in the final design phase, involves converting the Briarwood plant to a flow equalization tank, diverting flows to the Venice Gardens plant for treatment and rerating the capacity of the plant. Phases II and III include expanding the Venice Gardens plant by adding additional treatment facilities and related components, and subsequently increasing the capacity of the plant to 3.6 MGD in Phase II and 4.8 MGD in Phase III. Construction of the Phase I improvements is anticipated to begin in early 1997. Reclaimed water from the Venice Gardens plants is currently used to irrigate golf courses at the Venice Golf and Country Club, Jacaranda Golf and Country Club and Pelican Pointe golf course and subdivision. SUD has received grant funds from the Manasota Basin Board to build additional reuse lines in the area to interconnect the Venice Gardens system to the neighboring golf courses and to build additional lines to serve other potential customers in the area. Also within the Englewood Service Area is the Plantation wastewater treatment plant, acquired by the County in 1991. This plant is currently permitted to treat 440,000 gallons per day. It is expected that the permitted capacity of the plant will be increased to 660,000 as part of the renewal of its operating permit currently under review by FDEP. Reclaimed water from the facility is used to irrigate golf courses within the Plantation development. To the southwest of the Venice Gardens and Plantation treatment plants are the Hourglass Lakes, Circlewoods and Gulf View service areas, located in the vicinity of S.R. 776, Jacaranda Boulevard and U.S. 41. These franchises were acquired by the County in 1992, 1995 and 1996, respectively. The construction of a force main connecting the Hourglass and Circlewoods systems was completed by SUD in early 1996 and the flows diverted from Hourglass to Circlewoods for treatment. At the present time, SUD is in the final design stages for the construction of a force main and effluent main to connect the Circlewoods plant to the most-recently acquired Gulf View treatment plant. In order to meet the challenge of consolidating the treatment plants and transmission systems in this service area, SUD contracted with an engineering firm to prepare a master plan for determining the most cost effective and environmentally acceptable plan for providing sewer service to the region. Completed in April 1996, the master plan evaluated various alternatives for wastewater transmission and provided recommendations for improvements needed for the implementation of a regional transmission system in the service area. Public Facilities Chapter
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Englewood Water District The Englewood Water District (EWD) is an independent special district established under Chapter 96-499, as amended, Special Laws of Florida. The District lies in the most southerly part of the unincorporated area and extends into Charlotte County. The northerly boundary, which lies within Sarasota County's unincorporated area is shown on Figure 4-2. Under Chapter 96-499, the EWD was authorized to regulate the construction and operation of wastewater treatment facilities within its political jurisdiction. In 1991 revisions to the EWD Enabling Act eliminated the District's regulatory authority. EWD wastewater treatment plant monitoring, compliance and enforcement is now conducted by the Sarasota County Natural Resources Department, Pollution Control Division. The EWD plant, which provides service to areas within both Sarasota and Charlotte County, is located in Charlotte County. The EWD is expanding the reuse water system for spray irrigation at this facility. There are also three franchised wastewater treatment facilities in operation within the Sarasota County portion of the EWD. The locations of these plants are shown on Figure 4.1. The EWD is implementing a plan for construction of a wastewater collection system within the Sarasota County portion of its area. In 1996, the EWD began the installation of a collection system that will serve the Englewood area south of Dearborn Street. Development of a fully centralized system will also require the retirement of the existing wastewater treatment facilities within the District. Analysis Many small wastewater treatment facilities lack the economies of scale necessary to permit satisfactory expansion and upgrading of facilities. It is the larger systems which generally are able to successfully achieve expansion and comply with increasingly stringent environmental regulations. This problem is being addressed by the County program to acquire and consolidate wastewater treatment facilities. Smaller plants, particularly those which serve individual uses and small subdivisions, are being acquired and taken out of service. The sewage from the collection systems will be pumped to larger wastewater treatment plants. The smaller wastewater facilities in the County are not required by state rules to be staffed full-time by licensed wastewater treatment plant operators. In fact, the smaller facilities are only required to be staffed by a licensed operator a few hours a week. The acquisition and consolidation plan will progressively reduce the number of treatment plants that are too small to economically employ staff that meets State certification requirements. In turn, the addition of the flows from these treatment systems to larger wastewater treatment plants will ensure Public Facilities Chapter
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that the operating plants will be large enough to require and economically support a fully qualified staff. The proliferation of less-than-regional size plants was due, in part, to the County's previous philosophy of allowing development to occur contingent upon developer provision of necessary infrastructure, such as potable water and sanitary sewer. It was previously thought that these smaller plants would be viewed as temporary service for wastewater treatment, and when a more efficient system would extend into the area, the smaller systems would be abandoned for the intermediate-sized systems. The connection of smaller package plants to more efficient intermediate sized plants began in 1990, after the acquisition of the Southeastern (Bent Tree) and Sorrento franchises by Sarasota County in 1988. The connection of these smaller facilities to larger wastewater treatment systems has occurred at an accelerated rate since the adoption of the Acquisition Procedures Manual in 1991 and the Franchise Acquisition, Consolidation, Implementation Plan - Wastewater Collection, Treatment Master Plan in 1993 and its reuse component in 1994. As of January 1997, 17 of the 30 franchises analyzed in the Master Plan had been acquired by the County and 3 others had been acquired by other entities. The intermediate size plants are generally able to be expanded to accommodate the flows from smaller plants, and still comply with increasingly stringent environmental regulations. Many of the smaller, less efficient wastewater treatment facilities lack the economies of scale necessary to permit satisfactory expansion and upgrading of facilities. In addition to acquiring franchises and consolidating them into larger treatment plants, the County Utilities Department is actively planning, designing and constructing a regional reclaimed water distribution and storage network. The strategies being implemented that are contained in the reuse component of the Master Plan focus on providing reclaimed water and other supplemental sources, such as treated stormwater, to customers where it is needed and available. This helps to reduce the demand on potable water supplies and withdrawals from ground water aquifers. The County's aggressive acquisition program inherently includes on-going problems associated with the consolidation of these smaller sewerage systems. One of these problems is the age and condition of the systems at the time of acquisition. Some of the utilities have not been maintained to current regulatory standards and require extensive and costly repairs. As the Utilities Department is an enterprise fund and must rely primarily on its own revenues for operation, limited funding is available to make all of these repairs when they are needed. In order to assist with necessary financing of new and upgraded facilities, the Utilities Department utilizes several different financing mechanisms in addition to the revenues received from utility rates, fees and charges. Low-interest loans from the State of Florida's Revolving Loan Fund, which were used in part to finance the construction of the Bee Ridge Water Reclamation Facility, is one funding Public Facilities Chapter
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alternative. Another is the use of commercial paper proceeds, which have been used to finance the construction of the Curry Creek sewer infrastructure and other projects. These proceeds are later rolled into long-term debt financing. The County has also received cooperative funding grants from the Manasota Basin Board for the design and construction of reuse projects which are generally based on a 50-50 local match from the County to offset the estimated project costs. Additional revenues and financing alternatives will be necessary to fund the County's rapidly expanding sewer Capital Improvements Program. Another concern is that, even with the many sewer systems still in operation in the County, there are still areas within the urbanized unincorporated area that are not served by central sewer systems. The implementation of the County's proposed central sewer expansion program, in tandem with the on-going acquisition and consolidation program, would be a critical step in resolving this on-going concern. The County Pollution Control Division in the Natural Resources Department, conducts routine, monthly, inspections of wastewater treatment plants. This monitoring program has been in place for several years. Field inspectors review the plants for compliance with general State and County regulations and the specific stipulated requirements of the permit, such as operator staffing and effluent quality. Each month, the Pollution Control Division inspects all wastewater treatment facilities in Sarasota County. The Division conducts surprise inspections with little advance notice, and also responds to complaints. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection also monitors all wastewater treatment plants, but considerably less frequently. The Sarasota County Pollution Control Division is responsible for citing wastewater treatment plant violations and initiating enforcement. Currently, initial enforcement is a tiered process which, depending on the severity of the compliance issue, might take the form of a Warning Notice issued on site or a letter or Notice of Ordinance Violation requiring a timed response. If the violation is not corrected, or it recurs, the Division may proceed with an Affidavit of Violation which is submitted to Board Records with a request to schedule a Code Enforcement Special Master Hearing. The Special Master may order compliance with future penalties attached. For severe violations, the Division may also proceed with a request to prosecute in civil court, or may file a complaint for criminal investigation. Recent developments of significance in the County Pollution Control Division's Wastewater Treatment Plant Compliance Inspection Program include the following: - Development and implementation of more standardized inspection checklists for wastewater treatment plants and sites used for land spreading sludge
- Use of Consent Orders, as provided for in Ordinance No. 96-020, to resolve outstanding violations administratively, to collect penalties (based upon the Florida Department of
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- Environmental Protection's penalty guidelines and matrix) and administrative costs, and to provide for specific schedules for corrective action.
- Establishment of the Sarasota County Pollution Recovery Trust Fund for depositing monies collected for administrative costs, fees and penalties from Consent Orders. The money in the Fund may be used in areas such as restoring polluted sites and enhancing pollution control activities.
Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems Legislation Section 381.272, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 10D-6, Florida Administrative Code, establish regulations governing the design, construction and regulation of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems. In 1992, the State of Florida amended Chapter 10D-6 to provide for more stringent regulation of these systems. Some of the areas that were strengthened included increased system sizing in moderately or severely limited soils, specific elevation requirements for systems needing repairs, and provisions that limit the maximum size of any drain field absorption bed to 1500 square feet. Previous amendments to Section 381.272, Florida Statutes, as they relate to the operation of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems in areas used or zoned for industrial or manufacturing purposes, had significantly increased the permitting and monitoring criteria for those potentially hazardous systems. Chapter 381.00655, Florida Statutes, provides requirements for mandatory connection to publicly- and privately-owned central sewer systems within 365 days of those systems becoming available. The Statute also requires that establishments using onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems that are in need of repair or modification be connected to available central systems within ninety days. Implementation of these provisions would require passage of a County ordinance that would provide the enforcement mechanisms to ensure that mandatory connection requirements are enforced. Sarasota County legislation regulating onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems includes Ordinance No. 83-83, as amended, which regulates the design, construction, installation, utilization, operation, maintenance and repair of individual onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems and includes permit requirements. The installation of new systems requires an "Individual Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal System Installation Permit" and, after a final inspection by the Florida Health and Rehabilitative Services, Sarasota County Public Health Unit, a "Final Installation Approval". Ordinance No. 83-83 also requires a permit for the reconstruction or repair of existing onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems. Ordinance 83-83 requires a site evaluation and soil studies, including a soils analysis, to be performed in order to obtain an "Individual Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal System Installation Permit". Public Facilities Chapter
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A minimum of two soil profiles, both within the proposed absorption field, are required. The information obtained from the soil profiles is required to show the elevation of the water table at the time of the test and the height of the seasonally high water table. The construction plan for the proposed system must provide, among other requirements, a minimum separation of 36 inches, or 24 inches, if the lot was platted prior to the passage of Ordinance 83-83, between the bottom infiltrative surface of the drain field and the elevation of the water table at the wettest season of the year. If necessary, the elevation can be obtained by the use of mound soil absorption systems. The County Land Development Regulations, Ordinance No. 81-12, as amended, require a minimum one acre lot size for installation of a private well and onsite sewage treatment and disposal system. The minimum lot size requirement for onsite sewage treatment and disposal system installations may be reduced to one half acre, if the lot is developed with a connection to a central water system. Ordinance 81-12, as amended, also stipulates that no onsite sewage treatment and disposal system shall be located within one hundred feet (100') of the ordinary high water mark of non-tidal lakes, streams, canals, bays, rivers and ponds or within one hundred feet (100') of the mean high water line of tidal bodies of water, including bays and tidal portions of rivers, streams and canals. Commercial uses may still obtain permits for individual onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems where the amount and quality of wastewater produced meets certain restrictive standards. Discharge of industrial waste into onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems is prohibited by Chapter 10D-6, Florida Administrative Code. In unincorporated Sarasota County, the Florida Health and Rehabilitative Services Sarasota County Public Health Unit, Office of Environmental Engineering, enforces both State and Sarasota County onsite sewage treatment and disposal regulations. The Office of Environmental Engineering was established through cooperation between the State of Florida and Sarasota County. This local effort provides Sarasota County with superior enforcement of the increasingly stringent regulations governing installation, reconstruction and repair of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems. Planning Studies and Efforts In 1979, the 208 Water Quality Management Plan for Southwest Florida was prepared by the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council. Developed under guidelines found in Section 208 of Public Law 92-500, it evaluated the impact of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems upon the County's surface water quality. The plan recommended the development of local onsite sewage treatment and disposal system siting and installation guidelines and the dissemination of information on maintenance to owners. Both the 1986 and the updated 1994 edition of the Florida Water Quality Assessment 305(b) Technical Report by the Bureau of Water Quality Management indicated that not all surface water pollution was caused by urban and agricultural runoff. Discharges from onsite sewage treatment and Public Facilities Chapter
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disposal systems is included among the potential causes of degradation of natural water bodies. Sufficient data did not exist in that report to quantify the proportional contribution of runoff sources producing water quality problems. More recent studies include a study of onsite sewage treatment and disposal system construction, reconstruction and repair permits by the Health Department to identify areas of frequent and recurring onsite sewage treatment and disposal system failure. In 1989, the Sarasota Bay National Estuary Program (NEP), administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, began work studying the quality of the waters in Sarasota Bay and its surrounding environs and developing plans of action for improving water quality in the region. In regard to wastewater treatment, the NEP studies found that: (1) the principal pollutants of concern to Sarasota Bay are nutrients (primarily nitrogen) and toxic substances such as heavy metals and pesticides; (2) the amount of nitrogen that may be introduced into the Bay from wastewater treatment plants is regulated, but the nitrogen pollution from onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems is not; (3) residual nitrogen from onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems is transported to the Bay by ground water; (4) small, inefficient wastewater treatment plants can load nutrients to Bay waters; and (5) onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems in Sarasota County contributed approximately four times more nitrogen to Sarasota Bay through ground water than the City of Sarasota's effluent discharge into Whitaker Bayou. (10) The original nitrogen loading model used in the SBNEP studies was developed using all available water quality data from the STORET data base, the repository of data used by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, among others, to assess the status and trends of water quality in the State of Florida. After the SBNEP Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan was completed, it was learned that the data set within the STORET system did not contain the most recent data from Phillippi Creek testing. This led to an incorrect characterization of the present-day nitrogen concentrations in Phillippi Creek. As a result, the pollutant loading model used by the SBNEP overestimated nitrogen loads from septic tanks by underestimating loads from wastewater treatment plants. The Preliminary Engineering Report - Central Water and Sewer Service (11) adopted by the Board of County Commissioners in November 1994, presented a preliminary report for providing central utility service to the urban unincorporated areas. The study identified those areas served by onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems and prioritized them for receiving central sewer service based on environmental, financial and existing facility criteria. A citizen task force was appointed by the Board to study the issues involved in the provision of central sewer to those areas. The task force's recommendations to proceed with the final design and construction of central sewer systems in the highest priority areas identified in the report were presented to the Board in August 1995. Public Facilities Chapter
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Inventory The Health Department estimates that approximately 45,000 onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems are in place with varying degrees of satisfactory operation throughout the County. Since installation of these systems began before accurate record-keeping, the locations of some systems are not known. However, since 1972, the Health Department has maintained permit application data for construction, reconstruction, and repair of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems. The permit data may be located with the use of half section maps and the Health Department database. The 1994 Preliminary Engineering Report - Central Water and Sewer Service found that there was a total of 37,341 platted residential lots with 30,188 existing homes in the unincorporated urbanized area where central water and sewer service was not available. Figure 4-4: Residential Areas Using Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems graphically depicts the areas where central utility service is not currently available. Analysis The principal limiting factor for use of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems in Sarasota County is seasonally high water tables and lot sizes. Of the forty-one soil types identified in the Soil Survey of Sarasota County dated September 1991, only two types are not rated as "severe" or inappropriate for onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems. These two types make up less than one percent of the total acreage in the County. Although the soils themselves are generally capable of providing adequate percolation and filtration of wastewater effluent, their association with elevated seasonally high water tables requires virtually all new systems to be constructed in mound configurations elevated above natural grade. Table 2-1 in the Environment Chapter lists the County's five generalized soil associations, while Figure 2-2 of that Chapter presents a map showing the location of these soil associations. Soils maps are available at the Sarasota County Planning Department or the Sarasota County Soil Conservation Service at a scale of 1:24,000, the same scale used on United States Geologic Survey quadrangle map sheets Soil studies prior to the installation of onsite sewage disposal systems are addressed in Sarasota County Ordinance No.83-83 which requires a site evaluation, including a soils analysis, to be performed in order to obtain an "Individual Onsite Sewage Disposal System Installation Permit." A minimum of two soil profiles, both within the proposed absorption field, are required. The information obtained from the soil profiles is required to show the elevation of the water table at the time of the test and the estimated height of the seasonally high water table. The construction plan for the proposed system must provide, among other requirements, a minimum separation of 36 inches, or 24 inches if the lot was platted prior to the passage of Ordinance No. 83-83, between the bottom infiltrative surface of the drain field and the elevation of the water table at the wettest season of the year. If necessary the elevation can be obtained by the use of mound soil absorption systems. Public Facilities Chapter
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Figure 4-4: Urbanized Areas Using Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems 
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Onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems can be installed on a lot platted after the June 30, 1981 passage of the Sarasota County Land Development Regulations, Ordinance No. 81-12, only if the lot is a minimum of one acre without central water, or one-half acre, if water is available from a central source. Larger lots are less visually impacted by the use of mitigation techniques such as elevation of a drain field. Larger lots also provide flexibility in the location of wastewater disposal systems, so that set-backs can be provided from surface water and other such features. Requiring large lots also reduces the density of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems in any given area, and accordingly, reduce the amount of filtered effluent that reaches surface or ground water, thereby increasing the dilution factor. Such spacing of septic drain fields is particularly valuable in soils where filtration may be inadequate. Although Sarasota County Land Development Regulations, Ordinance No. 81-12, require a minimum lot size of one acre without central water, or one-half acre if there is a connection to a central water system, most onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems are installed on lots below these minimum sizes, that were platted prior to the passage of Ordinance No.81-12 and are not proximate to a sewer line. In the six years from 1990 through 1995, 1,292 building permits were issued for the construction of single family houses within subdivisions platted before the passage of Ordinance No. 81-12, that are not connected to central sewerage systems. However, these installations must comply with all the applicable requirements of Chapter 10D-6, Florida Administrative Code, and Sarasota County Ordinance No. 83-83. Frequently, adjoining platted lots are combined under one ownership in these older subdivisions, so that the ownership lot sizes are larger, but even these combined lots are generally below the minimum lot size that would required, if they had been platted after passage of Ordinance No.81-12. As a result, installation of new onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems within these older subdivisions, which usually requires mounding, may led to stormwater runoff problems for neighboring properties. Many of the older, small lot subdivisions served by onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems have a history of system failures that indicates not only the consequences of aging, but may also indicate the presence of installations that were inappropriate for the environmental conditions on the site. Subdivisions that have had a high percentage (36%) of past failures of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems, coupled with a continuing pattern of current failures, are considered to be "chronic septic tank failure areas". Difficulties are experienced in the repair of most of these systems due to the small lot areas and the high water tables. These failing systems have the potential to contaminate surface and ground water, as well as creating significant repair costs for the owners of the systems. A comprehensive analysis of onsite sewage treatment and disposal system failures was made possible by the development of a computerized database system for permits, begun in 1990, by the Health Department. Information has been entered from some 30,200 previously issued permits. This data has enabled an identification to be made of chronic failure areas. This information has been used as one of the factors considered in establishing priorities for the extension of collection systems and Public Facilities Chapter
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connection to wastewater treatment plants. A sewage line extension policy should be developed as a corollary to the identification of priority areas for central sewer service. Many of the repairs are required because onsite sewage treatment and disposal system regulations prior to 1983 were less stringent than the existing state and Sarasota County regulations. Factors contributing to the inclusion of areas in this listing were lot size and overall size of subdivisions (septic system density), percentage of failures, seasonal high water table levels, age and size of systems, soil conditions and elevation of systems with respect to water tables. The information on chronic septic tank failure areas was taken into consideration in the preparation of the 1994 Preliminary Engineering Report - Central Water and Sewer Service, which set forth priority rankings for connection to central service for all the areas served by onsite sewerage treatment and disposal systems. The areas were ranked on the basis of various environmental and financial criteria. The environmental criteria included rates of onsite sewage treatment and disposal system failure, water supply source, surface water quality, density of development, and percentage of build out of the area. The financial factors that were incorporated into the priority weighting system were cost per unit and ratio of project costs to annual revenues. Location relative to wastewater treatment facilities and the capacity of the facility were factors that were also included in the rating system. The regions identified in the report as the top priority areas were as follows: Leisure Lakes; Lorraine/Booker Place; Homedale/Tangled Oak; Cedar Hammock; Homecroft; Oak Shores; Pinecraft; Rio Vista; Aloha Trailer City; Sunnyside Park; Southgate; Virginia Heights; Forest Hills; Ridgewood/Harbor Oak; Phillippi Cove; South Highland; River Forest; Las Lomas; Phillippi Crescent/Rennick; Tropical Shores; Vamo; Sorrento Shores; South Venice; Gulf View Estates; and Deer Creek Park. The Priority One areas are shown on Figure 4-4. In an April 1997 workshop, the Board of County Commissioners found that septic tanks were contributing to the pollution in Phillippi Creek. The Board directed that engineering studies for a septic tank replacement program be undertaken to determine the most cost effective type of central sewer or alternative on site systems to be constructed. A prioritized list of replacement projects will be established. The initial study area will be the Phillippi Creek Drainage Basin. Future studies will establish replacement programs in other drainage basins affected by septic tanks and the balance of the Unincorporated County. Public Facilities Chapter
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Domestic Wastewater Treatment Residual Products Sludge is the residual by-product of sewage treatment plants. This residual is primarily water and digested wastewater solids. The State of Florida regulates sludge according to the degree of stabilization, and the nitrogen and metals content. The standards of Chapter 62-640, Florida Administrative Code, regulate this residual product, and require all wastewater treatment plant residuals destined for disposal by landspreading in Sarasota County to meet Class B stabilization as defined in that Chapter. Sludge stabilization may be accomplished on the wastewater treatment site or at a permitted residuals management facility. The County's Septage Treatment Facility is a permitted facility to receive and treat domestic wastewater residuals. The septage treatment plant process includes chemical stabilization, dewatering, and thickening of the sludge. The septage facility, built in 1985, is permitted to treat 125,000 gallons a day. The plant also treats some of the leachate flows from the Bee Ridge landfill, and currently operates at approximately 90 percent of its permitted capacity. Other permitted residuals management facilities exist outside of Sarasota County. Chapter 62-640, Florida Administrative Code, which amends Chapter 62-7, Part IV, stipulates that wastewater treatment plants may land spread sludge, only if they have an approved land spreading plan and a current operating permit from the FDEP. Further, the operating permit must be renewed every five years or sooner if the plant is modified or expanded, and an annual land spreading plan must be submitted to the FDEP and the County. To be eligible for land application, routine sludge analyses must be performed. The sludge is required to meet minimum standards for pathogen and vector attraction reduction, and cannot exceed a certain level of heavy metal content as specified in Chapter 62-640, Florida Administrative Code. The regulations also include requirements for land spreading, which stipulate certain minimum setback distances from inhabited structures, surface-water bodies, and wells, and prohibit land application when the water table is less than 2 feet from the surface. There are also annual and lifetime caps on the amount of heavy metals that may accumulate on any parcel as a result of land application of sludge. The Pollution Control Division of the Sarasota County Natural Resources Department reviews land spreading plans and sludge analyses, which are submitted quarterly, semi-annually, and annually by the wastewater treatment facilities, and performs onsite inspection of both wastewater treatment facilities and the 9 land application sites that are depicted on Figure 4-5. Public Facilities Chapter
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Figure 4-5: Domestic Wastewater Residuals Land Application Areas 
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The septage facility will continue to serve as a disposal site for sludge from onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems. The County and a consulting engineer are currently evaluating various alternatives for sludge recovery, including the construction of a dewatering and composting facility at the under construction Central County Solid Waste Disposal Complex. A final decision on the alternatives is expected to be reached in late 1996. Level of Service Present legislation, at both the State and County level, helps in establishing level of service standards (LOS) for wastewater treatment. Two components comprise wastewater treatment level of service: 1) the minimum quantity of wastewater to be treated in gallons per day per equivalent dwelling unit, and 2) the minimum quality of treated effluent produced by the treatment facility. An analysis of existing flow rates within the Sarasota County Utilities System plus the major franchise areas, as listed in Appendix D, Section 1, indicates that the existing use averages approximately 195 gallons per dwelling unit per day. Based on existing use, an appropriate level of service would be 200 gallons per day per equivalent dwelling unit to more closely reflect the actual usage by County residents. Minimum water effluent and quality standards for wastewater treatment facilities are provided for in Section 403.086, Florida Statutes, "Sewage Disposal Facilities; Advanced and Secondary Waste Treatment" and its implementing tool, Chapter 62-600, Florida Administrative Code, "Wastewater Facilities", as amended. These standards were adopted by reference in Sarasota County Ordinance No. 96-020.. Based upon the above, the following criteria shall be used to establish a sanitary sewer level of service, as follows: 1) Minimum average daily flow to be treated from domestic units shall be 200 gallons per Equivalent Dwelling Unit per day; and 2) Wastewater effluent shall meet standards defined by state law, permit requirements of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and County Ordinance when discharged to ground water or surface water in the County. To assure minimum average daily flow, the County reviews wastewater treatment facility capacity during the evaluation of development orders, in accordance with Ordinance No. 89-103, Sarasota County Concurrency Management Regulations. These regulations require that development orders be analyzed to determine the availability of adequate capacity based on an inventory of all central sanitary sewerage systems serving unincorporated Sarasota County. The inventory helps determine Public Facilities Chapter
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the provider's ability to serve a proposed project and includes data relating to system capacity, historical average daily flow of treated sewage, historical peak flow, number of hook-ups, and number of contractual commitments. Furthermore, the County Utilities Department reviews development petitions pursuant to County requirements, including the Land Development Regulations and the Uniform Water, Wastewater and Reuse System Code, to ensure the availability of treatment capacity. Summary Sarasota County has taken a series of steps to provide solutions to the problems associated with numerous independent wastewater treatment plants. These steps include the approval of Resolution No. 91-101 adopting the Procedures Manual for Public Acquisition of Water and Utility Systems in Sarasota County, Florida as the procedural guide for the Utilities Acquisition Negotiating Team; the adoption of the Franchise Acquisition, Consolidation, Implementation Plan - Wastewater Collection, Treatment and Reuse Master Plan in July 1993 as amended in November 1994; and, the acceptance of the Preliminary Engineering Report - Central Water and Sewer Service by the Board of County Commissioners in November 1994. The adoption and continuing implementation of these plans will help to achieve the goals and objectives for creating a centralized sewer and reuse system in Sarasota County. In 1991 the County adopted more stringent regulations governing the construction and operation of wastewater treatment plants. These regulations reflected the 1990 amendments to Section 403.086, Florida Statutes, and the Chapter 62-600 series "Wastewater Facilities", Florida Administrative Code. The strengthened regulations have been implemented by the County by increasing the staff of the Pollution Control Division of the Natural Resources Department. Enforcement of these regulations ensures that wastewater treatment facilities will not degrade the quality of the environment. Additionally, the continued implementation of the acquisition and consolidation program means that in the long run, the County will significantly reduce the number of wastewater treatment plants, thereby reducing monitoring demands, while achieving among the remaining plants a scale that will allow for more economical operations. The regulations that govern the installation of onsite sewage disposal systems were strengthened by amendments to Section 381.272, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 10D-6, Florida Administrative Code. These amendments, in conjunction with County regulations governing the installation and spacing of onsite sewage disposal systems adopted during the 1980s, have significantly strengthened the ability of the County to safeguard the environment from the adverse impacts of improperly constructed systems. In 1990 the State adopted more stringent regulations concerning the disposal of sludge. These regulations were adopted by the County by reference in 1991. As a result of these changes the Pollution Control Division now monitors all sludge spreading operations. Public Facilities Chapter
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A continuing problem is the presence of numerous areas served by aging onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems that were, in many cases, installed to lesser standards than are presently in effect. These systems are prone to malfunction, and have the potential for degrading surface and ground water supplies, as evidenced by the various study results including the National Estuary Program's studies of Sarasota Bay quality. Many of these systems are located on small lots within the urbanized areas of the County. The 1994 Preliminary Engineering Report - Central Water and Wastewater Service presented a preliminary design report for providing central utility service to the urbanized unincorporated area. The study identified those areas served by septic tanks and prioritized them for receiving central sewer service based on environmental, financial, and existing facility criteria. Public Facilities Chapter
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Solid Waste Introduction Historically, the disposal of solid waste was accomplished by burying refuse at numerous sanitary landfill sites around the County. In 1970, Sarasota County opened the Bee Ridge Landfill, and over the next several years other landfill sites in the County closed down. The County eventually assumed operation of the City of Venice Landfill, and that facility was officially closed in 1984. The Venice landfill site was converted into a Transfer Station, so that refuse collected from the Venice, North Port and Englewood areas could be transferred to the Bee Ridge Landfill. Landfill activities at the North Port landfill site officially ceased in 1984, and a Closure Permit was issued by the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation in 1990. Since late 1985 the only permitted sanitary landfill in the County has been the County operated Bee Ridge Landfill which is expected to remain in operation until 1998, when, the County anticipates opening its new landfill at the Central County Solid Waste Disposal Complex. Legislation Legislation designed to regulate the collection and disposal of solid waste was initiated at the federal, state and local level beginning in the early 1970's. Presented below are the relevant laws which govern solid waste collection and disposal and a brief description of each. U.S. Public Law 94-580, "Resource Conservation and Recovery Act", was passed in 1976. The main purpose of this legislation was to promote better utilization and management of increased volumes of solid waste by establishing resource recovery as a national priority. In 1974, Florida enacted Section 403.706, Florida Statutes, "Florida Resource Recovery and Management Act". This law required each county in the State to prepare a solid waste management plan. The law also established the Resource Recovery Council within the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation and designated 19 counties, including Sarasota, which would be required to participate in a resource recovery feasibility study. The detailed guidelines and responsibilities for the participating counties were contained in Chapter 17-700 of the Florida Administrative Code. The guidelines covered solid waste resource recovery and management permits; criteria for operation and closure of sanitary landfills; long term care of landfills; special waste handling; criteria for resource recovery equipment and certification of resource recovery equipment; and domestic sludge classification, utilization, and disposal criteria. The rule also provided that yard waste could not be dumped in lined landfills after 1992. Public Facilities Chapter
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Sarasota County Ordinance No. 86-35, which went into effect October 1, 1988, established five Municipal Service Taxing Units in the unincorporated area, known as Solid Waste Service Districts. Subsequently, Ordinance No. 93-102 superseded Ordinance No. 86-35, and reduced the number of Municipal Service Taxing Units from five to two. The municipalities are not included in these Service Districts. Ordinance No. 93-102 specifies that within each Service District, residential and commercial solid waste collection and disposal is mandatory, with collection and disposal to be conducted only by authorized franchise collectors. Certain restrictions are imposed with regard to solid waste collection which address matters, such as the size of collection containers and the types of material that may be collected. Collection and disposal of solid waste by other than an authorized collector is prohibited. However, persons other than authorized collectors may collect and haul land clearing debris, construction debris, debris associated with farm operations involving five acres or more and wrecked or scrapped boats and motor vehicles. Hazardous and infectious wastes must be hauled by federally licensed vendors. Florida's Solid Waste Management Act of 1988 (codified as Part IV of Chapter 403, Florida Statutes) brought about major changes in the way counties manage waste and resources. This legislation required all counties to reduce the amount of solid waste land filled by at least 30% by December 31, 1994. No more than half the reduction could come in the form of special waste (e.g., yard trash, white goods, and construction and demolition debris). In addition, counties were required to recycle a minimum of 50% of the following four materials: newspaper, aluminum cans, glass, and plastic bottles. These statutes also addressed disposal of hazardous wastes and special wastes, such as tires, used oil, discarded refrigerators, and lead-acid batteries. Various funding and technical assistance programs were also included in the legislation. The Florida Legislature amended the law in 1993 and added steel cans to the list of materials that must be recycled. In November 1990, voters approved an amendment to the Sarasota County Charter calling for comprehensive, mandatory recycling. The charter amendment set out an initial five year program. The goal for this initial period was to reduce by at least 50% the volume of waste delivered to the landfill. Specified recyclable materials could not be placed in the landfill. Residential and commercial customers in the unincorporated County are required to separate recyclables, including yard waste, from other garbage. The Circuit Court, by order entered November 13, 1990, in City of Sarasota et al. v. Sarasota County et al., Case No. 90-5405-CA-01, enjoined the application of Article IV of the Charter to the municipalities within the County. Article IV of the Charter was implemented by Ordinance No. 91-24. County voters subsequently approved the establishment and maintenance of the mandatory recycling program by ordinance rather than Charter provision. Ordinance No. 91-24 outlines the specific items recycled under the County's mandatory program. Provisions are also included for enforcement of the ordinance and for the establishment of a citizens advisory committee. Public Facilities Chapter
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Planning Studies And Efforts This section describes studies related to the management of solid waste. These studies cover land filling, resource recovery, regional solid waste issues, and recycling. The Solid Waste Management and Resource Recovery Plan (1) was prepared in 1981 pursuant to Ch. 403.706, Florida Statutes, "Florida Resource Recovery and Management Act". Each county in the state was required to prepare a solid waste management plan. Sarasota County was also chosen to participate in a detailed Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) designed to investigate the feasibility of resource recovery, whereby solid waste would be processed to produce a by-product, such as energy (electric or steam). The detailed guidelines and responsibilities guiding the study were set forth in Chapter 17-7, Part II, Florida Administrative Code. The Resource Recovery Feasibility Report for Charlotte County, DeSoto County, and South Sarasota County (2) was prepared in August, 1985. Charlotte, DeSoto, and Sarasota Counties entered into an Interlocal Agreement whereby they appointed a committee to study the feasibility of establishing a joint resource recovery facility. The study area in Sarasota County was south of a line which extends to DeSoto County from the Osprey/Oscar Scherer State Recreation Area. The study recommended that if the Counties decided to proceed with developing a resource recovery alternative, they should consider passing a resolution whereby they: - joined in creating an Authority to implement the program;
- delegated sufficient powers to allow for the project's efficient construction and operation.
The Resource Recovery Feasibility Study for Manatee and Sarasota Counties (3) was conducted at the same time. The consultants performed a resource recovery analysis along with a comparably detailed analysis for a sanitary landfill disposal alternative. The study was based on a 25-year planning period, 1985-2010, with study areas varying according to analytical scenario. These included Sarasota County; Manatee County; Sarasota and Manatee Counties; North Sarasota and Manatee Counties in individual and regional scenarios for resource recovery. Sanitary landfill alternatives included new landfills and vertical expansion of existing County landfills. The economic analyses, which included transport costs and costs associated with by-pass wastes and ash or residual combustion wastes, indicated that: - in the near term, the lowest cost disposal alternative was a vertically expanding, existing landfill facility. Total landfill disposal costs were projected to be $27.38/ton in 1990 and $57.53/ton in 2010;
- resource recovery costs for a mass-burn facility financed with revenue bonds were projected at $48.98/ton in 1990 and falling to $45.23/ton in 2010; and
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- it is the revenue from the generation and sale of electricity from the mass-burn resource recovery plant which accounts for the decrease in costs associated with that technology.
In July, 1986, the Landfill Site Feasibility Report: Walton Tract (4) was completed. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of using an area of land known as the Walton tract for a County landfill. Many topics were examined including Florida statutory landfill requirements, physical characteristics of the site, hydrogeology and soils, landfill block configurations, environmental considerations, and regulatory agency comments. The Central County Solid Waste Disposal Complex - Preliminary Cost Estimate (5) prepared in May, 1987, presented a preliminary cost scenario by summarizing the design and construction costs from previous preliminary cost estimates. The cost estimate included the following: design fees; hydraulic modeling, fencing and security; preparation of a Master Drainage Plan, cultural and biological investigations, an environmental impact study, and a 20-year site plan; construction of access roads, a household hazardous waste collection facility, landfill cells and leachate system, administrative offices, site utilities, and an Air Curtain Destructor (yard waste incinerator); restoration of Cow Pen Slough; and, costs for permitting. The Sarasota County Solid Waste Master Plan (6) was completed in November of 1989. The purpose of the plan was to provide a recommended course of action to manage and dispose of solid waste for both short and long term purposes. The report included a conceptual facility plan for the Central County Solid Waste Disposal Complex. Also included was an implementation program for scheduling future County solid waste facilities and programs. In the Summer of 1990, the Board of County Commissioners directed the consulting firm of Camp, Dresser and McKee (CDM) to prepare a landfill siting study, in part, to meet the requirements of regulatory agencies and to assist the Board of County Commissioners in arriving at a final determination as to the most appropriate location of a landfill site within the unincorporated area. The landfill siting study identified alternative sites based on the information obtained by and available to CDM. The County had a ground water monitoring plan completed for the Central County Solid Waste Disposal Complex in March of 1992. The plan includes well location and sampling protocol for the site. A land management plan for the Central County Solid Waste Disposal Complex in November 1992. The plan covers guidelines for protection of threatened and endangered species as well as management techniques for maintenance and improvement of the upland and wetland habitats on site. The plan also includes a description of the monitoring and assessment program to be used in measuring the success of goals set under the plan. Public Facilities Chapter
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Inventory and Analysis Solid Waste Collection There are five solid waste franchise collection districts in the unincorporated area. The franchise areas were established by passage of Ordinance No. 86-35. In 1993, the County passed Ordinance No. 93-102, which combined Service Districts 1, 2, 3 and 4 into Service District 1-4. The franchises run until the year 2003. The geographic service areas for solid waste collection are shown on Figure 4-6. The municipalities are not included in the County Solid Waste Service Districts and provide their own solid waste collection services. Service Areas 1-4 are serviced by Waste Management of Sarasota County. Franchise Area 5 is serviced by the Englewood Disposal Company. Both haulers provide curbside solid waste collection service. Collections of garbage and yard waste are made separately once per week. The haulers also provide pick up service for white goods such as refrigerators and stoves. The County also has in place contracts with its two franchise solid waste collection haulers to collect and transport recyclables from unincorporated residences. The two haulers are also required to offer recyclables collection service to unincorporated businesses. Materials collected by the haulers from County residences are delivered to a materials recycling facility under contract to the County. The processing facility is responsible for sorting and marketing the recyclable materials for the County. Each of the municipalities provide their own recycling programs. Annual assessments for solid waste collection are determined by the Board of County Commissioners sitting as the governing body of each Solid Waste Service District. This body governs collection and disposal of residential solid waste for all improved residential real property and for customers located within the unincorporated areas of the County lying inside the boundaries of each Solid Waste Service District. Included in the annual assessments to residences are the costs for providing the curbside recycling collection and processing services, along with solid waste collection and disposal costs. Public Facilities Chapter
The Sarasota County Comprehensive Plan
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Figure 4-6: Solid Waste Service Areas 
Public Facilities Chapter
The Sarasota County Comprehensive Plan
Page 4-38
Solid Waste Generation The amount of solid waste collected from the municipalities as well as the unincorporated area is shown on Table 4-1. The changes in collection practices that accompanied the beginning of the recycling program, and the addition of a County requirement for residents to separate yard waste from solid waste | 
County Comprehensive Plan 
