Deep wells are best way to protect human health, public hearing to be held today.

While the Environmental Protection Agency recognizes the advantages of deep well discharge for highly treated municipal effluent, its recent proposed rule changes are inconsistent with the protection deep well technology now provides, according to South Florida utility directors.

"Many of us are responsible for both managing our wastewater and drinking water supplies. Deep well technology helps us achieve both responsibilities." Said Anthony M. Hui, P.E., director of the Broward County Office of Environmental Services and chairman of the Deep Well Work Group of the Florida Water Environment Association Utility Council. Over 25 years of monitoring data show that deep well operation have not impacted actual drinking water supplies nor has any potential drinking water source been negated from future use."

During public bearing Thursday, August 24, at the Sheraton West Palm Hotel, 630 Clearwater Park Road, from 1 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 9 p.m. South Florida utility directors will urge EPA to revise its proposal to recognize that nationally accepted treatment levels are already being used and that data from 25 years of deep well operation in South Florida confirm the viability of theoretical future drinking water sources.

At issue in South Florida is protection of the so-called "underground source of drinking water" (USDW), most of which is very poor quality because of naturally occurring minerals, metals and radioactive substances. The USDW typically occurs about 500 to 1,500 feet beneath the surface and is federally protected from "endangerment" from deep well operations because it would be technologically possible to extensively treat the water from human consumption.

Deep wells discharge far deeper, into a saltwater region known as the Boulder Zone 1,000 to 3,500 feet down. The actual drinking water aquifer, currently used by many south Florida utilities, is less than 250 feet beneath the surface and is protected by hundreds of feet of dense clay from the brackish aquifers below.

EPA proposes creating injected municipal effluent to advanced standards (approximately 95 percent pollutant removal) for deep well discharge compared to secondary treatment (approximately 90 percent pollutant removal) now.

 "The water that the rule currently protects is of such poor quality that it would make you sick to drink and would kill vegetation if you irrigated with it," Hui explained. "What is injected is highly treated municipal effluent that right now meets more federal drinking water standards than the aquifer targeted for protection."

Even where EPA effluent, no endangerment has occurred, Hiu said.

Recent EPA tests showed that federal primary drinking water standards were met in samples withdrawn from the brackish aquifer in southern Miami-Dade County where EPA alleges injected effluent may have migrated, according to Bill Brant, director of the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department.

In St. Petersburg, which has no drinking water aquifer, the injected water is creating a potential new freshwater supple for irrigation, according to William D Johnson, St Petersburg public utilities director.

In Palm Beach County, independent laboratory test results showed that samples of the highly treated municipal effluent already pass more federal drinking water standards than naturally occurring water found at 1,475 feet and 1,905 feet underground, said Gary Dernlan, directory of water utilities for Palm Beach County.

More than 30 utilities in Southeast and Southwest Florida rely on deep well injection. The Boulder Zone occurs only in South Florida, giving the region a discharge option unavailable elsewhere.
"If deep wells were eliminated, highly treated municipal effluent would have to be discharged offshore or into our canals, which recharge our drinking water supply," Hui said. "Deep wells provide the greatest separation between human contact and the treated effluent.

 "Communities across the United States typically discharge effluent, which is often treated to the same degree as we send down deep wells, into rivers, and communities downstream then drink the water," Hui added. "Even if some unknown substances were present in our effluent, it would be better to discharge them into deep wells 3,000 feet underground than into surface water systems."

EPA's proposed rule would required advanced treatment of the secondary effluent prior to injection. However, utilities do not see any environmental or health benefits for the additional costs. Broward County is spending tax dollars on actual environmental benefits, Hui said.

 "We are spending $250 million through 2010 to replace 400 miles of water and sewer lines and eliminate 13,000 septic tanks," Hui said. "These improvements have actual environmental benefits."

South Florida utilities will ask EPA to show the environmental benefits of advanced treatment through a cost-benefit analysis, because its proposal could double monthly payments, Hui said.

"EPA has stated that deep wells are viable technology for protecting drinking water and surface environment, and that's a step in the right direction," Hui said. "EPA should preserve the deep well alternative without imposing treatment that would not result in environmental benefits."

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