by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
The Jacksonville Waterways Commission may not have had enough voting members at its Wednesday meeting, but it did get some education on the future of water standards for the St. Johns River.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency is scheduled to submit a decision Nov. 14 on the Florida Inland Water Numeric Nutrients Rule. The EPA has received more than 22,000 comments during the two public comment periods and held 13 public hearing sessions in Florida to get feedback from the public on the issue.
The decision made on the Numeric Nutrient Standard “will set numeric nutrient water quality standards for nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as ‘nutrients,’ that would be allowed in Florida’s lakes, rivers, streams, springs and canals. Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution come from stormwater runoff, municipal wastewater treatment, fertilization of crops and livestock manure,” according to the EPA.
Both St. Johns Riverkeeper Neil Armingeon and JEA Director of Permitting and Regulatory Conformance Paul Steinbrecher were given opportunities to make presentations to the Waterways Commission Wednesday.
“This has been a bad year for the river,” said Armingeon, pointing out fish kills, algae blooms and foam developing along the St. Johns River. “We have to do more than we are to prevent nutrients from getting into our river. The Numeric Nutrient Standard is not going to be the ‘Silver Bullet,’ but it will be a good starting point.”
He also brought up how the state’s natural resources could help drive its economy.
“Florida’s economy has been based on the tourism industry,” said Armingeon. “But the days of thousands of people moving to Florida a year are over. There are plenty of houses sitting empty right now. What will help drive our economy in the future will be our natural resources.”
Steinbrecher wasn’t looking forward to Nov. 14 as much as Armingeon.
“Water quality has improved in Florida over the last 20 years,” said Steinbrecher. “We have a ways to go yet, but we are getting there.”
He cited a study conducted by Carollo Engineers, based in Walnut Creek, Ca. The study stated that, “Should the proposed numeric nutrient criteria become incorporate in the discharge permits for these treatment plants, Florida utilities will spend an estimated $24.4 to $50.7 billion in capital costs for the additional treatment facilities.”
The report estimated that the capital outlay would result in an increase of user fees of between $673 to $726 per year. That estimate is a statewide estimate, and not specific to Jacksonville.
“I think we need to see the numbers first before we start scaring people with the dollars necessary to achieve the standard,” said Armingeon.
Nutrient pollution can damage drinking water sources; increase exposure to harmful algae blooms, which are made of toxic microbes that can cause damage to the nervous system or even death; and from byproducts in drinking water from disinfection chemicals, some of which have been linked with serious human illnesses like bladder cancer, according to the EPA.
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