Florida Enacts New Legislation for Faster, More Cost-Effective Septic Tank Removal

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., July 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida has enacted new legislation with a transformative approach to tackling the pollution associated with septic tanks. SB 796, titled General Permits for Distributed Wastewater Treatment Systems (DWTS), became effective July 1, 2025, and codifies a new category of wastewater treatment that is optimized to provide municipal wastewater treatment services to areas of Florida that are out of reach of conventional underground sewer systems. The new Florida Statute, 403.814(13), does the following: 

• Defines distributed wastewater treatment systems (DWTS), which is an "integrated system approach to treating wastewater" using multiple, individual distributed wastewater treatment units (DWTU)
• Establishes a "best in class" treatment standard for the newly defined category of wastewater treatment, requiring a DWTU to achieve 80% nitrogen removal from the waste stream under continuous remote control by a professional operator
• Grants a general permit for the replacement of septic tanks in a DWTS – replacements can begin with a 30-day notice and without additional permitting from the Department of Environmental Protection or the Department of Health
• Designed for operation by a City or County, DWTS provides an immediate and cost-effective option to replace septic tanks in otherwise impossible to reach locations
• A septic tank can be replaced with a DWTU in a single day, without disrupting streets or neighborhoods

Once again, Florida has set the standard for the nation in innovation, and we now have an important new tool that will enable our communities to solve their septic tank pollution problem once and for all. OnSyte Performance is proud to support municipalities in implementing DWTS solutions and making the most of this new opportunity.

About OnSyte Performance:
OnSyte Performance develops, markets, and operates proprietary distributed wastewater treatment solutions and services that reduce groundwater pollution and provide utility-like simplicity beyond the reach of traditional sewer systems. Through its proprietary combination of next-generation modular wastewater treatment systems, industrial internet-of-things ("IIoT") architecture, and industrial automation technologies, OnSyte is transforming the traditional wastewater treatment industry by eliminating the need to pipe wastewater from the customer to the treatment plant. For more information, please visit www.onsyte.com or contact [email protected].

SOURCE OnSyte Performance