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 Brownfields:
Under the broad umbrella of the Pollutant Storage Tank Compliance and Cleanup
Programs, the Engineering Division is available to provide historic storage tank
information and guidance in the cleanup of facilities within the designated Brownfield
areas impacted by petroleum contamination. Program staff is available to assist
Pinellas County, City of Clearwater, City of St. Petersburg, environmental consultants,
and the public with any inquires.
Pinellas County has Healthy Beaches!
Beginning in 1998, Pinellas County was one of 5 counties in the State who were
selected to participate in the Florida Healthy Beaches Pilot Program. As a part of its
participation, the Pinellas County Health Department conducted beach water sampling
and reporting of bacteria levels at eight area beaches every other week.
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Because of the success of the Program, starting August 1st, 2000, ALL coastal counties throughout the State of Florida monitored their beaches in this way and posted the results on the world wide web. The current Healthy Beaches sampling program collects and analyzes water samples at fourteen sites around Pinellas County every week to monitor the levels of indicator bacteria, specifically; Enterococcus sp and Fecal Coliform. The presence of these enteric bacteria is a possible indication of fecal pollution, which may come from any or all of the following: pets, wildlife (aquatic/terrestrial), human sewage, or stormwater runoff. Both bacteria are microorganisms that are found in the intestines of humans and other animals, and are commonly used as indicators of fecal pollution in drinking water. Occurrence of these bacteria indicate the possibility of the existence of pathogens that can cause gastrointestinal illness. While fecal coliform is a common indicator of fresh water quality, the addition of enterococci bacteria, an indicator bacteria which has shown a strong correlation to pathogens in marine water, is a unique component of the Healthy Beaches Program.
For more information about Beach Water Sampling, please go to: http://esetappsdoh.doh.state.fl.us/irm00beachwater/default.aspx 
Pollutant Storage Tank (PST) Clean-up:
Staff review technical documents for Site Assessment (determining where contamination resulting from a discharge into soil and/or groundwater has moved on/off the property) and Remediation (how engineering processes will remove or minimize the contamination). The program is funded by a contract with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The oversight is in accordance with Chapters 62-770 & 62-777, Florida Administrative Code and the DEP’s Standard Operating Procedures. These regulations and guidance documents may be examined though the following DEP links:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/quick_topics/rules/default.htm
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/pcp/pages/SOP.htm
The inland Protection Trust Fund (IPTF) provides varying degrees of State-Funded Assistance for discharges reported between 1985 and 1998. The order of cleanup is the assignment of a “score” by the DEP, based primarily on threats to drinking water supplies. In instances involving the use of State Funds, program staff monitor the expenditure of those monies through a complex work-order and invoice-expense tracking process. Facilities with new petroleum discharges occurring on or after January 1, 1999 are usually not eligible for State assistance, and perform clean-up at their own expense. The Pinellas program evaluates these technical reports to the same level of scrutiny as the eligible locations.
Pollutant Storage Tank (PST) Compliance:
The purpose of the Compliance program is the protection of Florida’s drinking water resources (surface water and groundwater). This purpose is “achieved” by educating responsible parties (owners and operators) and conducting compliance assurance inspections at regulated facilities. The program is funded by the Inland Petroleum Trust Fund (IPTF) through a contract with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The Compliance program conducts inspections at above- and underground storage tank facilities within Pinellas County. Inspection types include: annual, re-inspection, installation, closure, discharge, and complaint. The inspections are conducted to insure compliance with Chapters 62-761 & 62-762, Florida Administrative Code. These regulations may be examined through the following DEP link:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/quick_topics/rules/default.htm.
Public Water:
Local public water systems work in a
partnership with the county health department assuring
the public drinking water supplies are of the highest
quality available utilizing the latest technology and
methods standard to the industry.
DOH/Limited Use Public Water System:
Under the DOH/Limited Use Public Water Systems program
the local county health department is responsible for
regulatory authority of small water systems serving
commercial and residential units not covered under the
Florida Safe Drinking Water Act. These are primarily
commercial (includes one or more nonresidential establishments)
and multifamily facilities (includes five or more residences
or two or more rental residences) served via their own onsite
well-supplied water systems. Annual operating permits, water
quality compliance monitoring, permitting of new and modified
systems as well as any enforcement actions are all initiated
as per regulatory authority. Currently the local county health
department monitors the limited use public water
systems serving residents and visitors to Pinellas County.
Public Swimming Pools:
The Public Swimming Pools Program inspects all public
swimming pools in Pinellas County twice a year. A Public
Swimming Pool is any facility shared by for five or more
living units. Water is checked to ensure the correct
chemistry is maintained to prevent microbes, such as
Cryptosporidium. Bacteria such as this may cause sickness
and at times even cause death. Safety equipment is checked
and noted and filter equipment is examined for correct operation
and compliance. A
Professional Engineer reviews plan design, ensuring new
facilities are built correctly and to code. Finally and
most importantly we examine the qualifications and the
competence of the individual caring for the pool and the
proficiency of any lifeguards. Our inspections are per
the Florida Administrative Code 64E-9 which can be accessed
at
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/water/swim/docs/64e-9_to_be_filed.doc .
The Initial Ownership/Change of Owner Form is available now by clicking http://www.PinellasHealth.com/EnvEngineering/InitialChangeofOwnershipWebForm.pdf (65kb) to download the form.
Private Drinking Water:
The Well Surveillance program includes the investigations
of private drinking water wells in conjunction with
pollutant storage tanks. Known gasoline storage tank
sites are investigated for private and public drinking
water wells in close proximity for assuring the integrity
of the water supply. Once the site is investigated and
its location mapped, any private wells within a ¼ mile
radius and public wells within a ½ mile radius are sampled
for potential contamination from these gasoline tanks.
Based upon the results of the water sampling appropriate
remedial measures are initiated. This may be include
increased monitoring and/or placement out of service of
the well in question.
Sewage Systems:
The DOH/Onsite Sewage Disposal Systems program includes
the permitting and use of septic tanks and drainfields
for domestic and commercial waste disposal. This program
includes issuance of permits for construction of new
systems, repairs to existing systems and the abandonment
of no longer in use septic tanks. Annual operating permits
are also issued for septic tank pumping contractors
assuring the integrity of the disposal of the pumped
effluent. Responding to complaints of failing and/or
malfunctioning onsite sewage disposal systems are
investigated and subsequent appropriate actions initiated.
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St. Petersburg, FL 33701 
