Florida Bill Requires ATU Systems to Improve Water Quality

As of July 2023, new septic installations in certain areas of Florida require nitrogen-reducing ATU systems in place of traditional septic systems. Lakeland Septic would like to share some information about this mandate that will be helpful if it applies to you.

ATU system installation in Plant City, FLWhat Is An ATU System?

The formal name is “enhanced nutrient-reducing/nitrogen-reducing onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems.” They’re also called “aerobic treatment units.” For our purposes here, we’ll simplify it to “ATU systems.”

An ATU system works very much like a traditional septic tank. The primary difference is that it activates bacteria through the infusion of oxygen in order to dramatically reduce the nitrogen content in the wastewater.

This is the reason for House Bill 1379: the State of Florida became aware of waterbodies with very low-quality water in certain areas of the state, caused mainly by excess nitrogen, much of which was believed to have come from septic system effluent.

Therefore, it was decided that all new construction in areas requiring septic service include an ATU system instead of a standard septic tank. In some cases, ATU systems are also required when replacing an existing septic system.

The map on this page shows the areas, shaded in blue, where ATU systems are required.

A Change In Septic Maintenance Schedules

Along with the new systems comes a new scheduling mandate: property owners must schedule two maintenance visits per year for their ATU systems. This work is to be done by certified septic providers.

Lakeland Septic is qualified to handle all maintenance, repair and cleaning for the new ATU systems. We also install them. Our maintenance and installation work complies with the requirements of HB 1379 as well as all preexisting state and local septic codes.

The ATU Systems We Install

Our experienced septic team is proud to install two of the finest nitrogen-reducing systems available in the U.S. market.

ATU system installation available in Haines City & Plant City, FL

Delta ECOPOD Advanced Wastewater Treatment Unit

  • Treats between 500 and 1,500 gallons of effluent per day.
  • Oxygen infiltration leads to a massive reduction of BOD, TSS, fecal coliforms, and nutrients in the wastewater.
  • There are no moving parts in the tank, and installation is simple and straightforward.
  • The Delta ECOPOD system meets all Florida state mandates for septic replacements.
  • Made by Infiltrator.

CE7

  • Effectively removes up to 95% of pollutants from tank contents.
  • The CE7 treats up to 700 gallons per day.
  • Very quiet operation – just 39 decibels.
  • Meets all Florida state requirements for septic system replacements.
  • Made by FujiClean USA.

Hire The Best For All Your Florida Septic Needs

Lakeland Septic has served the greater Lakeland, Florida, region for more than 15 years. We’ve seen laws come and go, and we’ve seen all kinds of new developments in the science of septic services and procedures. The new ATU systems are just one more change that we handle so our customers don’t have to.

Our crew works to the “Lakeland Septic Standard” on every job. You could think of it as a mandate of our own that allows no room for error and no cutting corners for any reason.

When it’s time to install a new ATU nitrogen-reducing system or have your existing system pumped, inspected or repaired, the experts at Lakeland Septic are ready to help.

Reach a septic professional at (863) 738-0504, or get in touch with our contact form.