by James Coulter
To comply with Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) requirements, the City of Lake Wales is considering an amendment that will allow its wastewater treatment to receive a permit renewal.
At their workshop on Wed. Mar. 26, 2025, Lake Wales city commissioners reviewed an ordinance to amend the city code to comply with FDEP requirements for wastewater pretreatment.
According to the agenda item memo, FDEP permits wastewater treatment facilities that demonstrate “that all required minimum levels of treatment will be provided and that all water quality standards will be met.”
The permit renewal for the municipal wastewater treatment facility had been approved by FDEP on Aug. 29, 2022. However, to meet all requirements, the City must update Chapter 21, Division 3 Industrial Pretreatment of the City Code of Ordinances, which “will add additional stipulations and will satisfy additional requirements on the wastewater operating permit.”
Lake Wales city commissioners will review the second reading of the ordinance and vote upon it during their next meeting scheduled for Tue. Apr. 1 at 6 PM at Lake Wales City Hall.
