The City of Largo has been authorized under the state of Florida and its local municipality partners to enhance the design regulation and maintenance protocols of privately owned lift stations discharging sewage to the Largo wastewater facility. This ordinance (Ordinance # 2010-27) clarifies the design, performance, and maintenance criteria for private Lift Stations, with the requirement that the qualifying system be inspected, maintained, and reported upon by the City of Largo and an approved lift station vendor like ACE Septic & Waste.
ACE is the leading provider of lift station design, maintenance, and emergency services for Greater Tampa Bay, offering tailored lift station maintenance plans for Largo’s private systems.
What Do I Need to Know About These Regulations?
Design Criteria
The following design criteria must be met for new and existing lift stations in Largo before they can be operational.
Stormwater & uncontaminated water exclusion
- The design must prevent the deliberate introduction of stormwater, A/C condensate, cooling water, pool water, or similar sources.
Emergency Power & Portable Pump Connections
- Lift stations with pipes 6 inches or smaller must have a standard receptacle for portable generator connections, a riser, and valving to connect portable pumps.
- Larger systems must have an indelible design feature that ensures uninterrupted flow.
- Approved operations and maintenance (O&M) plans may be allowed as an exception for alternate emergency provisions such as hardwired generators, vacuum trucks, and/or water use restrictions.
- Overflows caused by outages or failures can still be enforceable violations.
Surge & Lightning Protection
- Stations must include phase protection, lightning arresters, and surge capacitors or similar devices.
Required Operation Monitoring Equipment
- Meters for pump operation time and power usage
- Systems without total power meters must log amperage draw during inspections.
Redundancy
- Multiple pumps are required. If only two pumps are present, each must handle peak flow independently.
- Annual hydrostatic and operating tests are required.
Alarm systems
- Audible, visible alarms must be installed and pass a test at each monthly inspection.
- Must alert for: high wet well levels, power failure, mechanical pump failure
Site Design and Location
- Must minimize impacts from noise, odor, and lighting.
- Must include fencing or alternative physical deterrents, or locked control panels and covers.
- All stations must have a permanent and visible 24/7 emergency contact info for the owner and the City of Largo.
Specific Provisions
- Monthly inspections of lift stations and manholes are required.
- Notifications of such inspections must be given within 24 hours for any delays, and in writing within 7 days.
- Prohibited actions include:
- Untreated discharges to land or water
- Introduction of stormwater
- Exceeding infiltration limits
- Discharges with solids or system-damaging materials
- Operating faulty equipment
- Providing false or misleading information
- Unauthorized system modifications
Please refer to the state-issued manhole inspection report that ACE Septic & Waste will complete on your behalf at each inspection.
What Are the Permit Requirements?
This permit, which is required for operation, applies to all privately owned lift stations connected to Largo’s wastewater facility. It must be renewed every two years and outlines the compliance regulations that, if ignored or disregarded, can lead to strict administrative penalties.
All private lift station permit holders are beholden to the following:
- Your permit may be revoked for structural changes, violations, or misrepresentation.
- Permit transfers require written approval and proof of system capacity.
- Expired permits remain enforceable if reapplication is timely.
- Permit holders must maintain records for 3 years and allow city inspections.
- Owners are required to halt overflows and notify the City of Largo and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection within specified time periods.
- Tampering with monitoring or falsifying your reports is treated as a criminal offense.
- Cost recovery is enforced for violations causing damage or expenses.
What are the Documentation & Reporting Requirements?
Florida’s push for safe, regulated, and compliant lift stations is born out of the need to ensure aquifer and waterway safety. Reducing nitrogen contamination and sewage spills is a primary focus of ensuring Florida communities have access to safe potable water.
Accordingly, Florida and the FDEP are enacting strict reporting regulations for the city of Largo.
Records must be kept on site for three years, including:
- Logs
- Permits
- Service receipts
- Reports
Owners of private lift stations must have an approved vendor like ACE Septic & Waste to help keep all of this straight. Contact our office to learn more about our lift station maintenance packages.
Reporting requirements
- Inflow & Infiltration (I&I) issues must be reported within 7 days.
- Emergency repairs must be reported within 72 hours.
- Overflows must be reported to the following:
- Largo: within 1 hour
- FDEP: within 24 hours
- State Warning Point if less than 1,000 gallons
- The report must include spill details and remediation steps
- Written report due within 72 hours.
Monitoring Requirements
As part of the expanded regulations, owners of privately owned lift stations are required to undergo inspections by two separate entities on a recurring basis:
Owners of private lift stations must have an approved vendor like ACE Septic & Waste to help keep all of this straight. Call our office to learn more about our lift station maintenance packages.
City of Largo
- Prior to permit issuance
- Annually
An approved lift station vendor, such as ACE Septic & Waste
- Monthly inspections
ACE Septic & Waste is fully qualified to perform the required monthly inspections and maintain the records necessary for compliance with Ordinance 2010-27. We complete all documentation, including inspection logs, and ensure they are kept on-site and ready for review by the City of Largo’s Environmental Control team.
Add Remote Monitoring with Telemetry Support
In addition to physical inspections, ACE offers monthly telemetry monitoring services to provide continuous oversight of your lift station systems. This service adds an additional layer of protection by:
- Tracking pump activity, run time, and power consumption
- Monitoring for alarms or failures in real time
- Allowing for faster emergency response
- Creating a digital log of events to support inspection readiness
Telemetry support complements monthly physical inspections and helps you stay ahead of issues that could lead to overflows, equipment failure, or permit violations.
Stay Prepared with Full Documentation
Please refer to the Lift Station Inspection Log ACE Septic & Waste completes on your behalf to help ensure your site remains compliant and your records are always in order.
What Goes into a Lift Station Inspection?
A lift station inspection is a soup-to-nuts look into the operational components of your lift station system, including:
- Alarms
- Pumps
- Wet well and floats
- Hour meters
- Surge protection
- Amp readings
For further reference, please review and follow Chapter 62-604 F.A.C. and Largo Ordinance Sections 23-191 and 23-192.
Operate Seamlessly with ACE Septic
ACE Septic & Waste is a trusted and approved wastewater vendor for meeting the strict regulatory requirements that govern privately owned lift stations in Largo. With licensed professionals, 24/7 emergency response, and deep experience in inspections, infiltration and inflow (I&I) control, and preventative maintenance, ACE helps you stay compliant, avoid costly overflows, and pass annual city inspections. We manage the documentation, reporting, and system upkeep so you don’t have to, which ensures that your facility operates efficiently and meets all city, state, and federal standards. We also offer customized and tailored pricing for our monthly maintenance plans based on your system’s specifications and requirements.
These regulations are already in motion. It’s not a matter of if you need to adapt, but when. Work with ACE Septic & Waste to ensure you’re on the leading edge of compliance, which will save you time and money while mitigating government interference.
Need help with your lift station? Call ACE Septic at 1-888-DWN-LIFT!
