Clean Waterways Act (CS for CS for SB 1758) Summary

• Requires Department of Environmental Protection to report to Legislature by July 1, 2020 on transferring the onsite sewage program from Department of Health to DEP, including necessary legislative and budgetary changes.

• Establishes wastewater grant program to fund projects reducing nutrient pollution, including retrofitting onsite sewage systems, upgrading treatment facilities to advanced waste treatment standards, and connecting systems to central sewer facilities, with priority given to onsite system connections and assessments.

• Requires local governments to develop wastewater treatment plans and onsite sewage remediation plans as part of basin management action plans, with specific timelines and deadlines; local governments failing to meet requirements are prohibited from participating in the wastewater grant program and subject to daily penalties.

• Creates real-time water quality monitoring program and requires wastewater treatment facilities to notify customers within 24 hours of unlawful discharges of raw or partially treated sewage; facilities causing such spills are barred from grant participation until remediation is completed.

• Requires agricultural operations to sign notices of intent to implement best management practices within 90 days of nutrient total maximum daily load adoption if basin management action plans are not adopted; extends Indian River Lagoon facility discharge restrictions to require advanced waste treatment standards effective July 1, 2024.