Sustainable Land Development Today - November/December 2008 - (Page 35)

technologies appropriate for specific soil and site conditions. Individuals may even be provided soil and site “credits” if they select alternatives that go beyond minimal standards. Regulatory systems are also evolving to address emerging approaching. Traditionally, state or local health departments regulated septic systems, which were largely limited to individual systems serving separate parcels. Environmental protection agencies regulated “municipal” systems, which assumed governmental/utility ownership, gravity sewers, and large-scale treatment works. Jurisdictions often overlapped, so developers could face conflicting agencies who issued mutually exclusive requirements for the same project. States are addressing regulatory overlap to eliminate obstacles and provide consistent administration and enforcement. Many states have implemented formal and informal systems to provide consistent regulation. Regulatory committees often include representatives of all agencies—health, environment, planning— that oversee system design, installation, and/or operation. Many states have empanelled technical advisory committees (TAC’s) to review design approaches and products. Environmental agencies may issue general NPDES permits to allow some surface water discharge while also requiring individual NPDES permits for larger installations. Health department use permit requirements among other criteria to establish jurisdictional limits for each agency. A Florida administrative rule, Chapter 64E-6, FAC, illustrates these principles. The minimal code allows the traditional septic tank-soil absorption system and sets prescriptive standards for their design, based on the number of bedrooms or other relevant criteria. Other code provisions identify three levels of performancebased designs and list a set of soil and siting credits for each level. An owner choosing to install a performance-based design is allowed to shrink the size of the drainfield up to 40 percent as the treatment performance increases. Florida’s code also sets a maximum flow of 2,500 gallons per day per acre for parcels served by municipal water sys- tems. If an owner elects to use a performance-based design, the flow can be raised as high as 5,000 gallons per day per acre. Florida’s evolving regulatory system allows for smaller systems and higher flows as treatment performance rises. Florida regulators also provide consistency in administration and enforcement. The Florida Departments of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and Health (FDH) both regulate onsite wastewater-treatment systems. Both agencies’ rules explicitly acknowledge the jurisdictional limits of each agency. The agencies maintain formal and informal contacts between them and among staff. Formal contacts include participation in various code committees and the FDH Variance Review board. Where proposed installations border jurisdictional boundaries, the agencies will consult with affected parties and each other to decide how environmental and public Stormwater Management Systems Our Product Line Includes: ° Detention Protect downstream channels from erosion. • Recharge Preserve existing ground water table elevation. • Infiltration Temporarily store WQv allowing infiltration into soil. • Filtration Remove 80% TSS, nutrients, hydrocarbons and trace metals. • Separation Remove suspended solids, free floating oil and debris. www.rotondo-es.com Circle 195 • or www.SLDTonline.com/webcard www.SLDTonline.com 35 http://www.rotondo-es.com http://www.SLDTonline.com/webcard http://www.SLDTonline.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Sustainable Land Development Today - November/December 2008

Sustainable Land Development Today - November/December 2008 Contents Our Voice Editorial Board SLDT Resources The BottomLine Go Forth and Tread Lightly on the Land It’s About Name Recognition Managing Risk in the Sustainable Building Frontier Industry Spotlight Achieving Sustainable Land Development Worthy of Recognition Stormwater Wastewater Erosion Control Innovation Classifieds Advertiser Index Last Word

Sustainable Land Development Today - November/December 2008

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