Miami Herald, The
January 20, 2026
State of Florida
Department of Environmental Protection
Notice of Intent
The Department of Environmental Protection hereby provides Notice of Intent to Issue a permit for the proposed project, as detailed in the application, subject to the conditions specified in the draft permit and summarized below. The applicant, Miami-Dade County, Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department, Jay J. Fink, Director of Water and Sewer, 3071 Southwest 38th Avenue, Suite 521, Miami, Florida 33146 applied on October 1, 2025, for a permit to operate a Class I injection well system. The project is located at the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), 8950 Southwest 232nd Street, Unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, in Miami-Dade County (File 061787-068-084-UO/1M, WACS ID 57046).
The permittee will operate seventeen, non-hazardous Class I injection wells (IW-1 through IW-17) and seven associated monitor wells (FA-1R, FA-3R, FA-14, FA-17, FA-18, FA-19, and CHI) for the disposal of municipal wastewater from the South District WWTP that has been treated through secondary and high-level disinfection (HLD) processes.
The injection wells are each constructed with 24-inch, outside diameter injection casings set at various depths ranging from 2,392 to 2,746 feet below land surface (bls), and total drilled depths ranging from 2,824 to 3,193 feet bls.
The maximum injection rate for injection wells IW-1 through IW-17, except IW-5, shall be 12,949 gallons per minute (gpm) per well, and the maximum injection volume for wells IW-1 through IW-17, except IW-5, shall be 18.65 million gallons per day (mgd) per well at a peak, hourly flow velocity of 10 feet per second (fps) in the injection casing of each well during normal operation. The maximum injection rate for IW-5 shall be 8,837 gpm and the maximum injection volume shall be 12.72 mgd at a peak, hourly flow velocity of 10 fps in the injection casing during normal operation.
The injection well system at this facility includes single-zone monitor wells FA-1R, FA-3R (currently under construction), FA-14, FA-17, FA-18, and FA-19, which are completed in the Floridan aquifer with monitor zones ranging from approximately 980 to 1,090 and 1,490 to 1,575 feet bls. A regional, dual-zone monitor well (CHI) is completed in the Floridan aquifer with monitor zones at 1,402 to 1,430 feet bls and 1,700 to 1,770 feet bls.
Three other injection wells (IW-18, IW-19, and IW-20) for the disposal of secondary and HLD-treated municipal wastewater have also been constructed at this facility under separate, Underground Injection Control permits.
The Department has permitting jurisdiction under Chapter 403 of the Florida Statutes (F.S.) and the rules adopted thereunder. The project is not exempt from permitting procedures. The Department has determined that an Underground Injection Control permit is required for the proposed work.
The Department will issue the permit unless a petition for an administrative hearing is timely filed under Sections 120.569 and 120.57, F.S., before the deadline for filing a petition. On the filing of a timely and sufficient petition, this action will not be final and effective until further order of the Department. Because the administrative hearing process is designed to formulate final agency action, the hearing process may result in a modification of the agency action or even denial of the application.
Petition for Administrative Hearing
A person whose substantial interests are affected by the Department's action may petition for an administrative proceeding (hearing) under Sections 120.569 and 120.57, F.S. Pursuant to Rules 28-106.201 and 28-106.301, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), a petition for an administrative hearing must contain the following information:
a. The name and address of each agency affected and each agency's file or identification number, if known;
b. The name, address, any e-mail address, any facsimile number, and telephone number of the petitioner, if the petitioner is not represented by an attorney or a qualified representative; the name, address, and telephone number of the petitioner's representative, if any, which shall be the address for service purposes during the course of the proceeding; and an explanation of how the petitioner's substantial interests will be affected by the agency determination;
c. A statement of when and how the petitioner received notice of the agency decision;
d. A statement of all disputed issues of material fact. If there are none, the petition must so indicate;
e. A concise statement of the ultimate facts alleged, including the specific facts that the petitioner contends warrant reversal or modification of the agency's proposed action;
f. A statement of the specific rules or statutes that the petitioner contends require reversal or modification of the agency's proposed action, including an explanation of how the alleged facts relate to the specific rules or statutes; and
g. A statement of the relief sought by the petitioner, stating precisely the action that the petitioner wishes the agency to take with respect to the agency's proposed action.
The petition must be filed (received by the Clerk) in the Office of General Counsel of the Department at 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, Mail Station 35, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000, or via electronic correspondence at Agency_Clerk@FloridaDEP.gov A copy of the petition shall be mailed to the applicant at the address indicated above at the time of filing.
Time Period for Filing a Petition
In accordance with Rule 62-110.106(3), F.A.C., petitions for an administrative hearing by the applicant and persons entitled to written notice under Section 120.60(3), F.S., must be filed within 14 days of receipt of this written notice. Petitions filed by any persons other than the applicant, and other than those entitled to written notice under Section 120.60(3), F.S., must be filed within 14 days of publication of the notice or within 14 days of receipt of the written notice, whichever occurs first. The failure to file a petition within the appropriate time period shall constitute a waiver of that person's right to request an administrative determination (hearing) under Sections 120.569 and 120.57, F.S., or to intervene in this proceeding and participate as a party to it. Any subsequent intervention (in a proceeding initiated by another party) will be only at the discretion of the presiding officer upon the filing of a motion in compliance with Rule 28-106.205, F.A.C.
Extension of Time
Under Rule 62-110.106(4), F.A.C., a person whose substantial interests are affected by the Department's action may also request an extension of time to file a petition for an administrative hearing. The Department may, for good cause shown, grant the request for an extension of time. Requests for extension of time must be filed with the Office of General Counsel of the Department at 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, Mail Station 35, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000, or via electronic correspondence at Agency_Clerk@FloridaDEP.gov, before the deadline for filing a petition for an administrative hearing. A timely request for extension of time shall toll the running of the time period for filing a petition until the request is acted upon.
Mediation
Mediation is not available in this proceeding.
Permit Documents
The files associated with this order are available for public inspection during normal business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except state holidays, at the Department of Environmental Protection, Southeast District, 3301 Gun Club Road, MSC 7210-1 West Palm Beach, Florida 33406, and at the Department of Environmental Protection, 2600 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400.
Department Contact
Additional information concerning this project may be obtained by contacting Rufus Dickey, Professional Geologist III, at 850-245-7580.
IPL0305858
Jan 20 2026
Miscellaneous Notices