Draft permit for a new injection well at Bonita Springs Utilities.

State of Florida
Department of Environmental Protection
Notice of Draft Permit
The Department of Environmental Protection hereby provides notice that it has prepared a draft permit for the proposed project as detailed in the application, subject to the conditions specified in the draft permit and summarized below. The applicant, Bonita Springs Utilities, Andy Koebel, P.E., Executive Director, 11900 East Terry Street, Bonita Springs, Florida 34135 applied on Jan 6, 2025, for a Class I injection well construction permit. The project is located at Bonita Springs Utilities Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant, 11900 East Terry Street, Bonita Springs, Florida 34135, in Lee County (File 0186015-007-UC/1X, WACS ID 88275).
The permittee will construct and operationally test one non-hazardous Class I injection well, IW-2, for the disposal of concentrate from the Bonita Springs Utilities (BSU) Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and secondary treated municipal effluent from the BSU East and West Water Reclamation Facilities (WRF). The maximum injection rate for IW-2 shall be 5,132 gallons per minute and the maximum injection volume for IW-2 shall be 7.39 million gallons per day. The injection well will be constructed with a 24-inch diameter steel casing set to 2,700 feet below land surface (bls), a 15.8-inch outside diameter fiberglass-reinforced plastic tubing set to 2,690 feet bls with a cemented annulus, and total depth of 3,200 feet bls. The proposed injection zone is classified as Aquifer Classification G-IV as defined in Rule 62-520.410 F.A.C. The existing dual-zone monitor well DZMW-1 is completed in the Suwannee Limestone from 1,250 to 1,350 feet bls, and in the Ocala Limestone from 1,630 to 1,700 feet bls. The proposed location for IW-2 at latitude 26 20 35.26 N and longitude 81 45 17.49 W is approximately 250 feet north of existing BSU public water supply (PWS) UFA Production Well 33 and 330 feet north of existing BSU PWS Lower Tamiami Aquifer Production Well 6. The proposed location of injection well IW-2 is within the wellhead protection area of BSU PWS Upper Floridan Aquifer Production Well 33 and BSU PWS Lower Tamiami Aquifer Production Well 6. These distances from the two production wells will require a variance to Chapter 62-521.400(1)(f), Florida Administrative Code.
The Department has permitting jurisdiction under Chapter 403 of the Florida Statutes 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.
Any interested person may submit written comments on the draft permit and may request a public meeting within 30 days after publication of this public notice. A request for a public meeting shall be submitted in writing and shall state the nature of the issues proposed to be raised in the meeting. If a public meeting is later scheduled, there will be another 30-day notice period for that meeting. Written comments or a public meeting request shall be submitted to the Department of Environmental Protection, Aquifer Protection Program, 2600 Blair Stone Road, MS 3530, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400, which is the office processing this permit application. All comments received within the 30-day period will be considered in formulation of the Department's final decision regarding permit issuance.
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, South District, and at the Department of Environmental Protection, Aquifer Protection Program office in Tallahassee. Any additional information concerning this project may be obtained by contacting James Dodson, Professional Geologist II, at 850-245-8653.
3/28/2026