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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

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Specific Permit to Construct Public Water System (PWS) Components

Environmental Health

The Federal and State Safe Drinking Water Acts require public drinking water infrastructure construction permitting to ensure compliance with water quality standards.  A specific construction permit is required when conditions unique or specific to the project apply, or are outside the allowances specified in Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) 62-555.405.  Some projects requiring a specific permit include facilities designed for:
  • treatment,
  • pumping, and
  • storage.

Other projects include:

  • conflict manholes;
  • capacity analysis and plant re-ratings;
  • distribution system construction when specific conditions apply, e.g.;
    • raw or partially treated drinking water transmission,
    • dry line construction,
    • interconnection to other PWSs,
    • construction in low-molecular-weight petroleum or organic solvent contaminated soils,
    • probable deviations; or
  • whenever a project does not meet the requirements of a General Permit, referenced in Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) 62-555.405.

To apply for a specific construction permit, complete F.A.C. form 62-555.900(1) "Application For a Specific Permit to Construct PWS Components".  The application must be complete and submitted to the Hillsborough County Health Department (HCHD), along with the correct Permit application fee, which varies according to category and classification of water system.  Upon receipt of a complete application, along with associated documents and fee, HCHD will evaluate the permit in accordance with F.A.C. 62-555.530,  62-555.533, and 62-4.055.

Standards for design and construction of public drinking water treatment systems are codified in F.A.C. 62-555.320.  In addition, it is important to refer to F.A.C. 62-555.520 prior to, and during the application process, which is a schedule of requirements necessary to comply with the Florida Safe Drinking Water Act. To facilitate the permitting process, this section is incorporated into a treatment plant design and submittal checklist.  For water distribution systems requiring a specific permit, download the preliminary design report and include with the permit application package.

Examples of information needed in the submittal package:

A preliminary design report, including where applicable:

  • Number of buildings and amount, type, size, and "Ten State Standards" color coding of treatment and distribution piping and appurtenances;
  • Design flow calculations;
  • hydraulic profile calculations;
  • hydro tank sizing;
  • calculations for run and cycle times of pumps, including proof that design meets manufacturer's specifications;
  • storage tank sizing;
  • disinfectant contact tank size, including CT and baffling calculations;
  • fire tank size and fire flow design calculations;
  • disinfectant, and other chemical storage tank sizing;
  • disinfectant, and other chemical dosage calculations indicating chemical pumps are sized properly to accommodate full system capacity;
  • other water treatment device design calculations where applicable;
  • other applicable requirements which may include standards incorporated into rules 62-555.320, 555.520, 10 State Standards, and other references included in 62-555.330;
  • Additional guidance may be found in the publications listed under 62-555.335.

Scale drawing including:

  • site layout,
  • treatment plant schematic,
  • well profile, showing:
    • casing,
    • pump,
    • union(s)
    • smooth-nosed raw sample tap,
    • cement slab,
    • well grout,
    • well vent,
    • check valve between raw tap and chlorine injection point;
    • lockable enclosure.
  • Other pertinent information.

Manufacturer's cut sheets, where applicable, for:

  • pumps, including pump curves;
  • tanks;
  • check valves;
  • pressure relief valves;
  • pressure switches;
  • constant pressure valves;
  • control valves;
  • aerators;
  • alarms;
  • ion exchange media;
  • other pertinent equipment.

Cut sheets should indicate NSF 61 approval of all components that come in contact with potable water, and other certifications where applicable.

To aid engineers in incorporating some of the Safe Drinking Water Act rule requirements during the planning stage:
  • Small System Design Spreadsheet This is a design tool that may be used to size hydro tanks, calculate horizontal tank water volumes, calculate required storage (including fire), and chlorine dosage. The spreadsheet is downloadable and may be included in the water treatment plant preliminary design report.
  • A preliminary design report for water distribution system design.  Complete and include in the specific permit application package.

All drinking water construction permits issued by the Department will contain General & Specific Conditions, and Clearance Requirements.

This article is provided to help facilitate the permitting process, and is not intended to be all inclusive.  It is the engineer of record's responsibility to include all applicable information necessary to satisfy the permitting requirements.

For additional information, contact HCHD permitting at: (813) 307-8059.