HB 861 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb861-00
Page 1 of 5
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to advanced wastewater treatment ; 2
providing legislative findings; requiring the 3
Department of Environmental Protection, in 4
consultation with the water management districts and 5
sewage disposal facilities, to submit to the Governor 6
and Legislature specified reports on certain sewage 7
disposal facilities in the state ; providing an 8
effective date. 9
10
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Fl orida: 11
12
Section 1. (1) The Legislature finds that the discharge 13
of inadequately treated wastewater and aging sewage disposal 14
facilities compromise the quality of the environment, including 15
freshwater, brackish water, and nearshore and offshore salt 16
waters, and threatens the quality of life and local economies in 17
the state that depend on those resources. The Legislature also 18
finds that the only practical and cost -effective way to 19
fundamentally improve wastewater management is to require 20
advanced wastewater treatment or better at all sewage disposal 21
facilities with a permitted capacity of greater than 1 million 22
gallons per day in the state. 23
(2) In order to prioritize the upgrade of sewage disposal 24
facilities, by December 31, 2025, the Department of 25
HB 861 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb861-00
Page 2 of 5
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
Environmental Protection, in consultation with the water 26
management districts and wastewater facilities, shall submit to 27
the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of 28
the House of Representatives a report detailing all of the 29
following for all sewage disposal facilities with a permitted 30
capacity of greater than 1 million gallons per day in the state: 31
(a) Year of construction for the facility and any 32
maintenance or upgrades. 33
(b) Total permitted volume of water treated daily. 34
(c) Actual permitted volume of water treated daily 35
including the most recent 1 year and 5 year averages. 36
(d) Current level of treatment, including concentrations 37
for each of the following: 38
1. Biochemical oxygen demand. 39
2. Suspended solids. 40
3. Total nitrogen. 41
4. Total phosphorus. 42
5. 1,4-dioxane. 43
6. Perfluorooctanoic acid. 44
7. Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid. 45
8. Molybdenum. 46
9. Other contaminants of emerging concern as determined by 47
the department. 48
(e) Estimated total pollutant loading based on permitted 49
volume and concentrations. 50
HB 861 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb861-00
Page 3 of 5
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
(f) Disposal methods and the volume discharged to any 51
receiving waterbodies, if applicable, pursuant to s. 52
403.064(17), Florida Statutes. 53
(g) Impairment status of any receiving waterbodies within 54
the watershed. 55
(h) Implementation status of total maximum daily loads and 56
basin management action plans and recommended reductions for 57
load allocations and wasteload allocations for pollutants of 58
concern. 59
(i) Total volume and concentration of any permitted and 60
nonpermitted wastewa ter spills since 2010. 61
(j) Elevation of the facility and supporting 62
infrastructure. 63
(k) Location within a floodplain, flood zone, or coastal 64
high-hazard area and, if applicable, the corresponding zone 65
number. 66
(3) By December 31, 2026, the department, in consultation 67
with the water management districts and sewage disposal 68
facilities, shall submit to the Governor, the President of the 69
Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a report 70
outlining a priority ranking process to upgrade all sew age 71
disposal facilities in the state to advanced waste treatment by 72
2036, based on all of the following: 73
(a) Overall environmental benefit of a project based on: 74
1. Water quality in receiving waterbodies, including 75
HB 861 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb861-00
Page 4 of 5
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
impairment status; 76
2. Severity and duration of documented algal blooms; 77
3. Loss of submerged vegetation; 78
4. Death of fish and wildlife; 79
5. Public health advisories; 80
6. Quantity and concentration of permitted and 81
nonpermitted spills; and 82
7. Risk of failure. 83
(b) Estimated reductio n in nutrient and pollutant loads 84
with advanced waste treatment. 85
(c) An explanation of additional projects necessary to 86
meet any adopted total maximum daily loads and basin management 87
action plans if upgrading to advanced treatment is not 88
sufficient. 89
(d) Cost-effectiveness as determined by a planning -level 90
cost estimate. 91
(e) Potential financial assistance available, including 92
the water quality improvement grant program under s. 403.0673, 93
Florida Statutes, and availability of local matching funds. 94
(f) Project readiness and the estimated date of 95
completion. 96
(4) By June 30, 2027, the department, in consultation with 97
the water management districts and sewage disposal facilities, 98
shall submit to the Governor, President of the Senate, and 99
Speaker of the House of Representatives a progress report on the 100
HB 861 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb861-00
Page 5 of 5
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
status of upgrades established under subsection (3) for each 101
sewage disposal facility with a permitted capacity of greater 102
than 1 million gallons per day in the state. The report must 103
include a list of the sewage disposal facilities with a 104
permitted capacity of greater than 1 million gallons per day 105
required to upgrade to advanced wastewater treatment, the 106
preliminary cost estimates for the upgrades, a projected 107
timeline of the dates by which the upgrades wi ll begin and be 108
completed, and the date by which operations of the upgraded 109
sewage disposal facility will begin. 110
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 111