Improve water quality by reducing harmful discharges.

To ensure residents enjoy the highest quality of life possible, the City is dedicated to protecting the quality of our above-ground bodies of water. This is achieved by eliminating harmful discharges to reverse the effects of improper waste disposal.

The City of Tallahassee has been a leader of environmental stewardship in the region, with programs and methods developed specifically for protecting and improving our water quality. Two of the City’s notable programs include the Industrial Pretreatment Program and Aquifer Protection Program. These programs have staff dedicated to outreach, education, and inspection of commercial and industrial facilities to prevent the discharge of harmful chemicals and waste products into the sanitary and stormwater systems.

To closely monitor water discharge in the region, the City maintains a database of commercial and industrial facilities that tracks outreach efforts, inspections and illicit discharges [1]. In 2020, 24 illicit discharges were documented and in 2021 staff documented 19 illicit discharges. The ultimate goal is to have zero illicit discharges. While this ideal may present challenges for a growing community with thousands of facilities in the region, the City remains diligent and committed in its outreach, education, and inspection efforts. The City will continue to promote the importance of proper facility maintenance and waste disposal, protection of the environment and improving the quality of life for the community.

1. Additionally, the City inspects and reports inspection results for Small Quantity [waste] Generators (SQG) for all of Leon County, as required by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).

Underground Utilities & Public Infrastructure. Last Updated: November 2022