by James Coulter
To better comply with the requirements for wastewater treatment permitting through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), the City of Lake Wales has updated its code of ordinances accordingly.
At their meeting on Tues. Mar. 18, 2025, Lake Wales city commissioners voted unanimously to approve the first reading of an ordinance to allow its wastewater treatment facility to better comply with FDEP permitting requirements.
“Any wastewater facility proposing to discharge wastewater to surface or ground waters or into the distribution system for irrigation, must demonstrate to the FDEP that all required minimum levels of treatment will be provided and that all water quality standards will be met,” Sarah B. Kirkland, Public Works Director, wrote in the agenda memo.
On Aug. 2022, FEDP had initially approved the permit renewal for the city’s wastewater treatment plant; however, as Kirkland explained, “further conditions were required” for the city to meet these requirements. One of these conditions was to establish and implement a Code of Ordinance for Industrial Pretreatment.
The updated ordinance will “add additional stipulations and will satisfy additional requirements pertaining to the wastewater operating permit.” Lake Wales city commissioners voted unanimously to approve the first reading of the ordinance. The second reading will be held at a future commission meeting.
