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, City of Port Richey, Darrell Rose, Public Works and Utilities Director, 6333 Ridge Road, Port Richey, Florida 34668 applied on Aug 7, 2026, for an exploratory permit for a Class V exploratory injection well. The project is located at Port Richey Injection Well (Koons Drive), 5350 Koons Drive, Port Richey, Florida 34668, in Pasco County (File 0474414-001-UC/5EX, WACS ID 109807).

To drill and construct one, non-hazardous Class V, Group 9, exploratory injection well IW-1 and associated monitor wells DMW-1 and SMW-1 at the Port Richey Injection Well facility located at 5350 Koons Drive. There is no injection authorized in the permit except for a short-term injection test to evaluate a possible injection zone. The injection well will possibly be reclassified as a non-hazardous Class I injection well for the disposal of reverse-osmosis (RO) concentrate from a future RO facility in the area. Injection well IW-1 is proposed to be constructed with a 12-inch outside diameter steel casing set to approximately 635 feet below land surface (bls), and a 7-inch nominal size, fiberglass-reinforced plastic injection tubing also set to approximately 635 feet bls with a cemented annulus. The total depth of IW-1 will be approximately 1,000 feet bls. The injection zone is proposed to be in the Avon Park Formation and is considered a G-IV aquifer as defined in Rule 62-520.410 F.A.C. The deep monitor well DMW-1 is proposed to be completed in the Floridan aquifer with the monitor zone between 220 to 240 feet bls. Deep monitor well DMW-1 will be constructed with 6-inch polyvinyl chloride (PVC) casing set to 220 feet bls. Shallow monitor well SMW-1 will be construction using a 6-inch PVC casing set to approximately 40 feet with a monitor zone between 40 to 60 feet bls, above the Underground Source of Drinking Water.

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, Southwest 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 Daniel Warmke, Professional Geologist at 813-470-5741.
Publish 11.15.2026 111278b