A viewer’s cellphone video led to a county investigation and $2,000 fine for Flotech Environmental, after footage appeared to show the company’s trucks dumping fluid into a storm drain in Miami-Dade County without proper filtration.
The company has since suspended an employee and says it has implemented new training and controls.
Witness captures repeated dumping into storm drain
Myles Houston, who works near NW 24th Avenue between 37th and 38th Streets, said he began seeing trucks from Flotech Environmental dumping fluid into a storm drain regularly. He started recording the activity on his phone.
“At least once a week this truck comes by here and dumps,” Houston says in one video.
In another clip, he adds: “First one was B14 this one is B22,” explaining that two different trucks dumped fluid on the same morning.
“They kind of look out and see who’s watching and then they just hook a hose to the back of the truck and start dumping out whatever’s in the back of their trucks,” Houston said.
His co-worker, Jason Pulido, said, “One time we’re out here working and then we just see, we just see them dumping there.”
Houston said he once confronted a driver about the dumping. “I had actually spoken to one of the drivers one time about doing that and he was like, no, don’t worry about that. So that’s why I recorded it.”
Driver says it’s water, county says it’s a violation
CBS News Miami visited the location on a Thursday — the day Houston said trucks typically arrive. At 7:17 a.m., a Flotech truck pulled up and began discharging liquid. When asked in English and Spanish if he had permission to do so, the driver replied that he did — “from the City of Miami.”
When asked, “¿Qué es esto inside la truck? Agua or caca?” the driver answered, “It’s water. No sewer.”
Houston’s video shows liquid pouring out of the truck onto the sidewalk and grass. According to Miami-Dade County, such discharge is not permitted.
In response to CBS Miami’s inquiries, the county provided a copy of Flotech’s permit and a statement clarifying the terms of use.
County and company confirm violation
The Miami-Dade Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER-DERM) stated that Flotech violated its Class V permit and has been fined:
“The Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources, Division of Environmental Resources Management (RER-DERM), issued Flotech a Class V permit (#20240191) for operations associated with regular cleaning and maintenance of stormwater and utility infrastructures owned and managed by various municipalities and Miami-Dade County (permit is attached).
The permit allows decanting within the same stormwater system that is being cleaned or maintained, only after filtration of residual solids using Ultratech Drain Guards or equivalent filtration devices. Effluent discharge under this permit is restricted to stormwater infrastructure owned by the same legal entity responsible for the infrastructure being serviced. If Ultratech Drain Guards are not adequate, additional filtration equipment must be used.
The City of Miami and the Miami-Dade County Department of Solid Waste Management observed Flotech personnel discharging highly turbid dewatering effluent—originating from the drainage system—directly onto vegetated areas and into drainage inlets without proper filtration, which is a violation of the permit conditions. They provided photos and videos to RER-DERM, who confirmed the violation and issued a Uniform Civil Violation Notice (attached).”
Flotech issues full statement, announces disciplinary actions
After viewing the videos provided by CBS News Miami, Flotech Environmental issued the following statement:
“Flotech Environmental is locally regulated under DERM, operating under a Miami-Dade County dewatering permit for stormwater maintenance operations. This permit allows decanting of uncontaminated stormwater from our vacuum trucks back into the drainage system, while separating solids, which are retained in the debris body. As a part of this procedure, water is flow-controlled and debris is screened to reduce any unwanted sediment to reenter the system.
Flotech has reviewed two videos provided by CBS4 News and immediately conducted an internal investigation. In one instance, an operator is seen to be discharging uncontaminated stormwater back into the system without proper flow control (failure to control speed of water flow). We have since then contacted DERM regarding this violation. Disciplinary actions have been taken and that employee is being suspended without pay. Immediate retraining and controls have been immediately implemented company-wide.
Flotech takes pride working in the community maintaining critical infrastructure, reducing the risk of flooding and providing emergency response services after storms and natural disasters. We’re deeply committed to protecting our environment and strive to uphold all applicable laws and regulations.”
Flotech declined to speak on camera about the incident.
The permit
The citation
