In February of 2015, Florida DEP added dewatering operations to the revised Generic Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Construction Activities (CGP). It is not uncommon for land development to require dewatering onsite. Dewatering is the act of temporarily lowering the water table by pumping groundwater from one location to another, and discharge should not cause a violation to surface water quality standards during dewatering. Operators may obtain a Generic Permit for Discharge of Groundwater from Dewatering Operations through the FDEP when filing for their NPDES NOI.
In addition, it’s important to note that contractors must also get authorization from their respective local municipality and water management districts. In order for dewatering activities to meet the requirements of the DEP permit, the FDEP or EPA must identify the site or sites within 500 feet as not contaminated or remediated. If contamination is present, the responsible party must remediate the site before dewatering can begin.
Adding dewatering activity to the CGP last year has allowed contractors to file one NOI with DEP for NPDES and Dewatering. If dewatering is not notated during the initial application the contractor would need to file a Notice of Intent to Use the Generic Permit for Discharge of Ground Water from Dewatering Operations.
