CS/CS/CS/HB 973 - Water Quality Improvements

• Transfers the Onsite Sewage Program from the Department of Health to the Department of Environmental Protection (type two transfer), with both departments required to submit recommendations to the Governor and Legislature by December 1, 2019.

• Requires water management districts to submit consolidated annual reports including connection and conversion projects for onsite sewage treatment systems, and establishes criteria for calculating lot size in priority focus areas for Outstanding Florida Springs.

• Creates a clean water grant program (effective July 1, 2020) to fund nutrient pollution reduction projects, and requires basin management action plans to include wastewater treatment plans and onsite sewage remediation plans.

• Establishes requirements for sewage discharge notification, prohibiting biosolids land application when interacting with seasonal high groundwater (effective July 1, 2022), and requires advanced wastewater treatment for facilities discharging into the Indian River Lagoon (effective July 1, 2024).

• Takes effect July 1, 2020, except for select provisions with earlier effective dates (July 1, 2019 for several sections, and December 1, 2019 for the departmental recommendations requirement).