HomeMy WebLinkAbout1/24/1983Monday, January 24, 1983
The Board of County Commissioners of Indian River ,County,
Florida, met in Special Session at the County Commission
Chambers, 1840 25th Street, Vero Beach, Florida, on Monday,
January 24, 1983, at 4:00 o'clock P.M. Present were Richard N.
Bird, Chairman; Don C. Scurlock, Jr., Vice Chairman; Alfred
Grover Fletcher, and Patrick B. Lyons. William C. Wodtke, Jr.
was unable to attend. Also present were Michael LA. Wright,
County Administrator; Gary Brandenburg, Attorney to the Board of
County Commissioners; and Virginia Hargreaves, Deputy Clerk.
The Chairman called the meeting to order and announced that
it was called to discuss Brevard County's proposal for deep well
injection of sewage effluent. He - asked that -Commissions r
Fletcher, who has been following this proposal with a great deal
of concern, report to the Board.
Commissioner Fletcher informed the Board that he had
belatedly learned that at 7 o'clock this evening there will be -a
public hearing at Indian Harbour Beach City Hall at which time the
Brevard County Commission will make a decision whether to go to a
deep well injection program.
Commissioner Fletcher was greatly concerned that most of the
technology being applied is to make sure that the sleeve of the
well itself is completely leakproof-, but that there is not
sufficient data to be sure what will happen at the depth of
3,0001, which is the depth at which they are proposing to inject
7h to 8h million gallons of waste daily. He noted that the
monitoring programs to date consist of placing observation wells
around the injection well at depths which really would not warn
what is happening until the contamination was up into the aquifer
that is being used. In addition, he was concerned about the
possible lateral movement of this proposed waste injection
program and further noted that apparently Harris Corporation also
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JAN 24 1983
is applying for deep well injection of the waste they are
generating.
Commissioner Fletcher informed the Board that Attorney
Brandenburg, at his request, has drafted a Resolution expressing
these concerns which he would like to have presented to the
Brevard County Commission at tonight's meeting.
The Board members agreed there was reason to be concerned
and had questions regarding formation of the aquifers and
movement within them.
Engineer John Robbins reported that the actual composition
of the aquifer varies throughout Florida depending on the geology
of the area, and the confining bed which separates the Floridan
aquifer from the ground water can vary considerably in thickness.
He confirmed that there could be some lateral movement in the
aquifer, but was not so much concerned with this as with the
possibility of the well casing leaking at a higher level which
could discharge right into the shallow aquifer. Engineer Robbins
felt there are stronger reasons for Indian River County being
concerned about Brevard County's proposed deep well injection
program than are stated in the proposed resolution, i.e., since
Indian River County is a source, primarily through the St. John's
Rivera of the water that is being used in Brevard County, and
because of the possible adverse effect on the aquifer in Indian
River County. He further noted that the proposed resolution
addresses domestic wastewater, and he felt the potential for
discharging chemical wastes would offer, a far greater -threat.
Discussion continued regarding possible changes in wording
of the Resolution. It was suggested that the word "waste" be
substituted for sewage, and Administrator Wright suggested using
the wording "domestic or industrial waste." Engineer Robbins.
stressed including the term "hazardous waste." It was further
felt that we should not tell Brevard County how to do their job,
but just urge that they seek alternate methods which might
include parallel lines, etc.,
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The following wording was recommended: "WHEREAS, Indian
River County is related to the problem because of being in the
St. John's headwaters and sharing a contiguous aquifer ... 1 and
instead of sewage effluent, refer to "wastewater" effluent.
In the paragraph following "NOW, BE IT RESOLVED," it was
agreed to state in Paragraph (1) our objection to deep well
injection of domestic, industrial or hazardous wastes, and to
combine Paragraph (2) and (3) requesting that they "seek
alternate means of waste disposal, such as..."
ON MOTION by Commissioner Lyons, SECONDED
by -Commissioner Scurlock, the Board unanimously
adopted Resolution 83-10 as modified, and author-
ized either Commissioner Fletcher or Chairman Bird
accompanied by Utilities Director Pinto to hand
carry same to the public hearing at Indian Harbour
Beach tonight and express the sentiments of the Board,
copies of said resolution to be sent to the DER, the
Regional Planning Councils, and all concerned agencies.
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, JAN 24 1989
3
JAW 24 193
BOOK 54q, PA,�
RESOLUTION NO. 83-10
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA OBJECTING TO THE SEWAGE
EFFLUENT DEEP WELL INJECTION PROPOSAL FOR SOUTHERN
BREVARD COUNTY.
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of Indian
River County believes that programs that have a possible major
impact on the environment must be carefully planned, evaluated and
studied, before implementation, and
WHEREAS, all the possible negative impacts on the
environment must be weighed against the benefit to be received
from the project overall, and
WHEREAS, geological data regarding underground
formations in Southern Brevard County are incomplete and
predictions on the lateral movement of the effluent cannot be
considered reliable, and
WHEREAS, the testing mechanisms as planned for the
project do not give an accurate test of the movement or harmful
effects of the effluent and will only show the contamination of an
aquifer after it is too late, and
WHEREAS, the injection of 7-1/2 to -8 -1/2 -,million gallons
of sewage a day could have a disastrous effect or other aquifers
and ground water generally, and
WHEREAS, the urgency to correct this.problem is a result
of the population of lands beyond their natural carrying capacity;
methods to solve this problem should be utilized that do not
burden other lands or potentially destroy other resources, and
WHEREAS, Indian River County shares contiguous aquifers
with Brevard County as well as the well waters of the St. Johns
River and is concerned about the effects of this project on Indian
River County's water supply, and
WHEREAS, sewage effluent should be utilized as a
resource for irrigation and replenishment of the shallow aquifer
thereby decreasing the need for potable -water and eliminating
potentially hazardous future situations which may result from the
expensive injection system, and
WHEREAS, the preservation of water resources is by far
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the most critical concern of urbanizing areas in South Florida and
all precautions should be taken to enhance this resource and under
no circumstances should proposals with potentially hazardous
effects be given consideration.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA, that:
1. Indian River County objects to the deep well
injection of industrial or domestic waste.
2. Indian River County urges the County Commission of
Brevard County to seek alternate means of waste disposal which
could include; parallel line irrigation systems, conveying the
effluent to marshlands for natural filtering or land application
on the mainland, thereby lessening the need for potable water,
recharging the shallow aquifer and curbing salt water intrusion.
The foregoing resolution was offered by Commissioner
Lyons who moved its adoption. The motion was seconded by
Commissioner Scurlock and, upon being put to a vote, the vote was
as follows:
Chairman Richard N. Bird - Aye
Vice -Chairman Don C. Scurlock, Jr. - Aye
Commissioner A. Grover Fletcher - Aye
Commissioner Patrick B. Lyons -,Aye
Commissioner William C. Wodtke, Jr. - Absent
The Chairman thereupon declared the resolution duly
passed and adopted this 24th day of January, 1983.
Attes
A Alt
FR DA WRIGHT,
APPROVEDT,/ _Y�/ TO FORK4
AND LEGA
SUFFICI .N
By
y At
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BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA
By�41�
R CHARD N. BIRD
Chairman
Is. c.
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iv .2 PAGE .
JAN 24 1983
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JAM 24 193 U1.
There being no further business, on motion duly made,
seconded and carried, the Board adjourned at 4:45 o'clock P.12.
ATTEST
Clerk
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Chairman