This is an FDEP Consent Order on the plant that is supposed to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville to wetlands in the Suwannee Basin in the Water First North Florida (WFNF) project. How can such a plant be safe to water the Ichetucknee and Santa Fe Rivers and their springs? Through the Floridan Aquifer which is the source of all local water for drinking, agriculture, industry, and recreation?

According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), the JEA Buckman Wastewater Treatment Plant exceeded limits on Chronic Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET), Aldrin and Total Cyanide, Fecal Coliform, Enterococci, and Ultraviolet Light Dosage, Total Recoverable Iron, Nickel, Copper, and Total Suspended Solids.

Consent Order on JEA Buckman Wastewater Treatment Plant –FDEP 2025-09-15

JEA also had to pay “$24,750.00 in settlement of the regulatory matters addressed in this Order.”

The Consent Order was issued September 15, 2025, so this is a current problem.

So it turns out the JEA Buckman plant is a typical failing wastewater treatment plant.

Does that seem safe to you for replenishing Suwannee Basin groundwater that we use for drinking, agriculture, industry, fishing, swimming, and boating?

Thanks to Joe Squitieri for sending this Consent Order.

Cover letter Enclosure: JEA Buckman Consent Order # 25-1475
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OGC FILE NO.: 25-1475
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Table 1: Chronic Whole Effluent Toxicity – IC25
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Table 2: Aldrin and Total Cyanide
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Table 3: Fecal Coliform, Enterococci, and Ultraviolet Light Dosage
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Table 4: Total Recoverable Iron, Nickel, Copper, and Total Suspended Solids
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ORDERED:
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The facility is currently operating under Toxicity Plan for Correction (PFC) dated July 25, 2022. The PFC outlines steps to correct the toxicity violations. This Toxicity Plan may need to be updated….
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7. Beginning on the first day of the month following the effective date of this Order, and lasting 48 months, the Respondent shall comply with the following WET interim limitations, as shown in Table 5, below:
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Table 5 – WET Interim Limits
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10. Within 30 days of the effective date of this Order, Respondent shall pay the Department $24,750.00 in settlement of the regulatory matters addressed in this Order.
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13. Respondent agrees to pay the Department stipulated penalties in the amount of $200.00 per day for each and every day Respondent fails to timely comply with any of the requirements of this Order.
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This Order is not a settlement of any criminal liabilities which may arise under Florida law, nor is it a settlement of any violation which may be prosecuted criminally or civilly under federal law.
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24. Respondent shall publish the following notice in a newspaper of daily circulation in Duval County, Florida.
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Rules referenced in this Order are available at http://www.dep.state.fl.us/legal/Rules/rulelist.htm
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DONE AND ORDERED
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Exhibit A In-Kind Projects
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d. Within 120 days of the effective date of this Consent Order, or, of the Department’s notification that applying stipulated penalties to an in-kind project is acceptable Respondent shall obtain approval for an in-kind project from the Department.
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i. If upon review of the notification of completion, the Department determines that the project cannot be accepted due to a substantially incomplete notification of completion or….
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If the in-kind penalty project is terminated and Respondent timely remits the $24,000.00, no additional penalties shall be assessed under paragraph 13 for failure to complete the requirements of this paragraph.
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 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

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