Last October, after a public comment period that apparently had few if any comments, GA-EPD reissued Hahira’s wastewater permit, with eight major changes, all tightening or updating effluent limits.

Collage Hahira wastewater treatment plant permit reissuance request NPDES GA0037974 2025-10-16

The re-issued permit is on the WWALS website.

Please Note The Following Changes to the Proposed NPDES Permit From The Existing Permit:

Part I.B — Effluent Limitations and Monitoring Requirements — Stream Discharge:

• Decreased the monthly average biochemical oxygen Demand (BODs) limit from 30 mg/L to 20 mg/L to be protective of the instream Water Quality standards (WQS) for Dissolved Oxygen (DO).
• Decreased the monthly average ammonia limit from 10 mg/L to 1.0 mg/L to be protective of the instream WQS for DO and address toxicity impairment.
• Added a daily minimum dissolved oxygen limit of 5.0 mg/L to be protective of the instream WQS for DO.
• Added monthly total nitrogen (TN) limit of 20 mg/L to meet Florida’s instream nutrient criteria at the State line.
• Added total phosphorus (TP) limit of 3.6 mg/L to meet Florida’s instream nutrient criteria at the state line
• Replaced monthly average fecal coliform effluent limit of 200 counts/100 mL with monthly average Escherichia coli (E. coli) of 126 counts/100 mL to reflect the recently approved bacterial indicator for freshwater. The proposed limit is in accordance with EPD’s Bacteria Equivalency Strategy for Using the Optimal Indicator Organisms for WQS and NPDES Permitting, 2022.
• Converted mass loading limits from kg/day to lbs/day to be consistent with other NPDES permits in Georgia.
• Added effluent data monitoring testing requirements for future permit renewal.

The settling ponds are at 598 Hall St, Hahira, GA 31632.

What the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA-EPD) calls the “unnamed tributary to Franks Creek”, we call Hahira LAS Pond Branch on the WWALS map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail. Continue reading →