EPA water rules may prove costly

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved final rules designed to cut water pollution causing algae blooms.

It's unclear how much the new numeric nutrient criteria regulations will cost Florida residents. Higher costs for producing agricultural products, potable water and treating stormwater will be passed down to businesses, taxpayers and consumers. The new standards go into effect in 15 months.

An economic study prepared for the Florida Water Quality Coalition claims the costs far exceed EPA estimates of $135 million to $206 million, or $40 to $71 per household annually. The industry study says costs could range from as high as $3.1 billion to $8.4 billon annually, which comes to $918.52 to $2,895.15 per household per year. In September, 36 business and labor leaders called for an independent cost study.

The standards came about as part of a federal consent decree resulting from a 2008 lawsuit filed by the Florida Wildlife Federation against the EPA.

More than 1,900 rivers and streams, 375,000 acres of lakes and 500 square miles of estuaries in Florida are considered by the EPA to be impaired by nutrients such as phosphorous and nitrogen.

According to the EPA's statement, the delay in the effective date allows local governments, businesses and the state “a full opportunity to review the standards and develop strategies for implementation while Florida continues to recover from the current economic crisis.”

The new standards deviate from early versions by reflecting conditions in five watersheds as a means to counter objections that earlier drafts were a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Additional standards for coastal waters are required to be issued by EPA by August 2012.