The Facts

Why relocate the effluent discharge with a pipeline?

The Finding of Facts section of the Administrative Order clearly demonstrated there were no other alternative technologies to the permitted project capable of meeting Class III water quality standards in the Fenholloway River (See Finding of Facts section of the Administrative Order). 

The need for an effluent pipeline was initially determined by the state in 1994 and confirmed by two subsequent studies involving the mill, FDEP, EPA and community groups with the primary reason to address the salt content of the treated effluent and subsequently lower the salinity of the water in the upper Fenholloway River.

The primary reason for relocating the discharge to the tidal portion of the river was to address the salt content or salinity of the treated effluent. Salinity does not pose a concern at the relocation point because the salt content of the treated effluent is less than that of the brackish water in the lower reaches of the river.