House Bill 1019, signed into law June 16, 2026 as Chapter 2026-158, Laws of Florida, created a new quarterly sampling requirement for certain public wastewater facilities. The law, known as the Joe Casello Act, targets perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) across two areas: a phased ban on aqueous film-forming foam used in firefighting, and the wastewater sampling requirement below.
Under the amendment to Section 403.086, Florida Statutes, public entities disposing of domestic wastewater biosolids and treated effluent with a designed average daily flow of 25,000 gallons per day or more must, effective July 1, 2026:
- Sample biosolids and treated effluent at least once per quarter for PFAS, including PFOA and PFOS
- Submit results to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on the facility’s discharge monitoring reports
- Follow DEP-SOP-001/01 and EPA Method 1633A, or an approved equivalent, per the department’s updated sampling procedures
First quarter results are due by October 28, 2026. DEP will issue a minor permit revision adding these parameters directly to affected facilities’ monitoring reports, so no separate application is needed.
For now, the results are informational only. Until the EPA sets PFAS water quality standards and DEP adopts them, findings cannot support an enforcement action.
Facility-specific questions go to the appropriate DEP District wastewater regulatory permitting office. DEP has also published background on its broader PFAS efforts.
The same bill phases out aqueous film-forming foam on a longer timeline. Nonemergency use ended in 2026, sales and distribution are prohibited starting July 1, 2027, and possession and use is banned outright by July 1, 2029, with limited exceptions for airports, military use, and true emergencies.
Water quality compliance is one of the areas we help clients navigate across Florida, and PFAS monitoring is a clear example of how that landscape keeps shifting. Utilities meeting the 25,000 gpd threshold should confirm their sampling program is in place well ahead of the October deadline, since DEP is applying this requirement through permit revisions rather than a separate approval process.
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