In some areas of the state, demands for water are beginning to exceed the capacity of aquifer and surface waters to meet said demands.

Competition for water is on the rise.

The effects of withdrawal of more ground water than rainfall can replenish are evidenced by:

• Pollution of aquifer
• Salt water intrusion
• Diminished spring flow
• Dried out marshes
• Disappearing lakes
• Well problems
• Increasing sink hole activity

In some areas, new, easily developed clean sources of water no longer exist. Alternative sources can be developed, but there is a cost.

There are people in the state, who for their own special interests, want to take our water from our area and transfer it to the water-hungry, over-populated cities, cities who apparently refuse or are unable to conserve or develop their own resources.

Hence, the need for Local Sources First, a law enacted in 1998 thru the strong efforts of Senator Nancy Argenziano and numerous organizations, including TOOFAR.

Why is this so important? Why do you need to be aware and constantly vigilant when it comes to water issues? Read on for some valid points and important answers.

The following was written by one of our members, L. C. Alexander and appeared in an issue of our newsletter. Following are some highlights for your review.

"Local Sources First" - What Does It Mean To Average People?

Simple. It means everybody, no matter where they reside, should live by a good neighbor policy. A good neighbor does not destroy other resident’s property and life quality to feed their own voracity, whether it’s next door or miles away.

There is just so much potable water in the entire world. The human race for no matter what the reasons, lives everywhere in that same world, from its driest to its wettest places. In the mix, some people must get along with a whole lot less water than others. Fact of life, no amount of screaming is going to change that. That is Point 1.

In Florida, a great many people live along its coastlines. You’ve got to assume either that is due to their own proclivities, or they have been lured there via the many commercial reasons all of us know are legion. No matter, for adults, it was a conscious, individual decision. Even though we now live in a world where all sorts of reasons are used to deny responsibility, in this case, you’d have to be unbelievably dense to argue otherwise. That is Point 2.

Coastal Florida owns the least potable water resources compared to any others, yet they are presently using a lion’s share of further supplies from inland. And, due to their superior voter numbers, state law currently says that they have a right to demand even more - no matter whether their demand destroys the surroundings where they secure it. Lakes, rivers, wetlands, underground aquifer, you name it.

This is already happening around every major inland well-field feeding the coast, far worse in some areas than in others. Billions of dollars in environmental and economic damages are the result. Average people, just like you and me, are being ruined by the thousands. Still, greedy coastal development forces push ever harder toward their Almight Buck in coastal areas whose quality of life proclaims they’re already far overbuilt, to Hell with anyone’s environment.

The scary part is that even with a reduction in well-field pumping brought on by lawsuits, the damage is increasing with time, not decreasing as was planned. Have we already pushed nature over the invironmental brink predicted by some authorities, already on our way to total collapse of the only drinking water source we have? Are we so stupid that we will continue beyond the point of no return? That is Point 3.

Local Sources First is probably the only answer to that question. One of its provisions is that coastal areas must develop potable supplies from the almost inexhaustible supply they border - saltwater. Why do supposedly intelligent officials there refuse to adopt such a course? The few cents more per gallon involved in the changeover, they claim, can’t be afforded.

That must be answered by a far more important question. Can all Florida afford its alternative, coastal business as usual? Point 4 answers itself NO NO.

For those of you who would enjoy reading the parts of the bill that relate to this issue, please read on for the text as supplied by Senator Nancy Argenziano’s office.

The 2005 Florida Statutes - (the entire statute)

   Title XXVIII, NATURAL RESOURCES; CONSERVATION, RECLAMATION, AND USE - Ch.369-380

     Chapter 373 - WATER RESOURCES

PART I - STATE WATER RESOURCE PLAN - (ss. 373.012-373.200)

373.016 - Declaration of policy - see (4), (a), (b)

373.036 - Florida water plan; district water management plans - see (1), (d)

373.196 - Alternative water supply development - see (2)

373.1962 - Regional water supply authorities - see (9)

PART II - PERMITTING OF CONSUMPTIVE USES OF WATER (ss. 373.203-373.250)

373.209 - Artesian wells; penalties for violation - see (2)

373.223 - Conditions for a permit - see (1), (a), (b), (c), (3), (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g)

373.226 - Existing uses - see (2)

373.229 - Application for permit - see (3)

PART IV - MANAGEMENT AND STORAGE OF SURFACE WATERS (ss. 373.403-373.468)

373.421 - Delineation methods; formal determinations - see (1)

PART V - FINANCE AND TAXATION (ss. 373.470-373.591)

373.536 - District budget and hearing thereon - see (5), (c)

SOURCES:
Citrus County Chronicle
TOOFAR Newsletter - December 1997
Florida Waters: A Water Resources Manual for Florida Water Management Distribution

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