Location: Pensacola, Florida

The Combined Effluent Distribution System is an approximately 1,240 acre wetland that receives treated paper mill and municipal wastewater was conceptualized to allow for the removal of direct effluent discharge to a local stream system and promote water quality improvement. The constructed wetlands were designed to receive a daily maximum flow of 32 MGD and provide water quality polishing prior to discharge into marine receiving waters. Pre-discharge and post-discharge monitoring and data collection were utilized to inform Federal and State permitting, water quality improvement, and success of the project. The site is permitted with a Site Specific Permit through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Services Provided

Nutter & Associates has provided the following services over the past 24 years since the project’s inception:

  • Regulatory permitting and on-going regulatory support with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
  • Surface and groundwater water quality monitoring, assessment, analysis, and modelling.
  • Ecological monitoring including vegetation, benthic macroinvertebrates, fisheries, and soils.
  • Threatened and Endangered species surveys and habitat restoration.
  • Water Quality Based Effluent Limit model support.
  • Compensatory mitigation site establishment and land management planning.

Aerial view of the Combined Effluent Distribution System. (image 1/2)

Aerial view of the Combined Effluent Distribution System.

A controlled burn on the wetlands. (image 2/2)

A controlled burn on the wetlands.

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