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

October 2005
RULES OF THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, CHAPTER 40D-2, CONSUMPTIVE USE OF WATER - pages 14-20 address: When the Governing Board determines that regional action is necessary to address cumulative water withdrawals which are causing or may cause adverse impacts to the water and related land resources or the public interest, it shall declare, delineate, or modify Water-Use Caution Areas.

Highlands Ridge Water-Use Caution Area. To address regional declining lake levels, the Governing Board declared portions of Polk and Highlands Counties a Water-Use Caution Area on June 28, 1989, pursuant to Resolution number 932.

Eastern Tampa Bay Water-Use Caution Area. To address declining seasonal and average groundwater levels, water quality degradation and adverse impacts to existing water users the Governing Board declared portions of Hillsborough, Manatee and Sarasota Counties a Water-Use Caution Area on June 28, 1989, pursuant to Resolution Number 933, and on October 24, 1989, pursuant to Resolution Number 942.

Northern Tampa Bay Water-Use Caution Area. To address groundwater withdrawals that have resulted in lowering of lake levels, destruction or deterioration of wetlands, reduction in streamflow, and salt water intrusion, the Governing Board declared portions of northern Hillsborough, southwestern Pasco, and all of Pinellas Counties a Water-Use Caution Area on June 28, 1989, pursuant to Resolution Number 934.

Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA). To address declining lake levels, declining seasonal and average ground water levels, water quality degradation and adverse impacts to water users, the Governing Board declared all of Manatee, Sarasota, DeSoto, Hardee, Charlotte, Highlands, and portions of Hillsborough and Polk Counties within the District’s boundaries a Water Use Caution Area on October 26, 1992, pursuant to Resolution Number 92-10.

The Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Hearing on - Water: Is it the "Oil" of the 21st Century? - The United States is blessed with abundant water resources that support the nation’s economy and quality of life. Water supports a wide range of potable and other domestic needs, industrial production, interstate trade on our navigable waterways, hydroelectric power generation, recreation, aquatic ecosystems, and irrigation for agriculture. Yet, as we enter the 21st Century, pressures on water resources in the United States are increasing and conflicts among water users are worsening. Disputes over water supply and allocation have begun to arise across the nation —not just in the West, where disputes over water rights have often been contentious —but also in the traditionally water-rich East. Demands for water are growing and are outstripping supplies in many areas, both in the East and West. Drought has exacerbated the problem in many regions. Even in drought-prone areas, seasonal flooding may result in too much water during part of the year. Often there is no ability to store such excess water for times when it is needed. This two-part hearing will examine some of the problems and competing uses for water in this country, and some of the steps that are being taken in response.

Each year tens of thousands of people move to south Florida, and thousands are born there. Providing the necessary housing, schools, transportation facilities, and related public services for the new residents requires land and other natural resources. The faster the population grows, the greater the strain on the already taxed natural resources.

Water supply and water allocation have emerged as the most pressing issues for the late 1990s and the future. In some areas of the state, demands for water are beginning to exceed the capacity of aquifers and surface water to meet the demands without significant harm to natural systems. The effects of groundwater over withdrawals (such as saltwater intrusion into municipal water supplies and lowered lake levels) are becoming more common. For some areas, the prospects for new, easily developed, clean sources of water no longer exist. Adequate sources can be developed, but usually at higher costs than in the past. These increasing water scarcity problems are compounded by the continuing risk that existing and potential new supplies may experience contamination from a variety of sources.

October 2005
Cooperative Water Program from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Water Availability And Use — The future health and economic welfare of the Nation’s population is dependent upon a continuing supply of uncontaminated freshwater. Many existing sources of water are being stressed by increasing withdrawals and instream-flow requirements.

Stop Big Developers from Pumping Florida Dry and Paving It Over! - Without strong environmental laws developers will be able to build huge subdivisions with less oversight and environmental protection, and pump our aquifers and rivers dry to supply water to all those new houses. Stand with Audubon and our allies to defeat this assault on Florida.

Testimony The Importance of Alternative Water Supplies in The 21... - Even in water-rich Florida, where the state receives an ... by growing municipal, industrial, and agricultural demands for water. Reclaimed water ...

Competition for water, for example:

August 13, 2006
Official worries for water supply
Commissioner Joyce Valentino is leading the charge in a battle that has been brewing for months, as local environmental groups worry that development in Citrus and neighboring counties could sap the county’s water supply. ...At a meeting of the environmental group TOOFAR last month, Jackson Sullivan, the authority’s executive director, said no plans for water transfer are in the works...

...The Villages has a population of roughly 60,000, but developers plan to expand the sprawling age-restricted community. At least 100,000 people will live there by 2010. And when officials shape regional water policies, Citrus County’s future is often tied into plans for Sumter County’s development.

Recently, Valentino said that has led to a delay in establishing the minimum flows and levels for several Citrus waterways - a project Southwest Florida Water Management District officials originally planned to finish earlier this year. Setting the levels places a limit on how much can be withdrawn from local bodies of water. And officials from the Villages have expressed concern that the levels would limit their ability to continue developing the community. But many audience members at last month’s TOOFAR meeting said the community’s explosive growth was placing Citrus County’s water at risk. Citrus Water and Wastewater Authority member Don Cox said proposed plans in the Villages would require 28-million gallons of water daily... - by Catherine E. Shoichet, St. Petersburg Times.

Over eight billion gallons of water a day bursts forth from Florida’s springs - the most unique concentration of springs on the planet. At one time, it was thought to be an endless supply, but now the demands of man are starting to exceed availability. We join a team on a daring journey into the Floridan Aquifer - to find out what’s going wrong. As the team follows the connective path of water through the landscape, their discoveries lead viewers on a thrilling adventure about the miraculous course that water takes, and the places we don’t want to believe it goes. Is it too late for the Floridan Aquifer?

Ceasefire in water wars, Argenziano wary - Five years ago, when south Florida developers were eyeing north Florida’s water, Nancy Argenziano co-authored landmark legislation that forced local governments to find water in their own backyards before looking elsewhere. Thanks to her "Local Sources First" law, a temporary truce was declared and our water was protected. A few months ago, war broke out again. The first Shots were fired by the Florida Council of 100, which issued a report to the Governor recommending major changes in statewide water policy. The report even suggested water from the Suwannee River basin could be transferred to high-growth areas in central and south Florida.

Senator Nancy Argenziano, Senator Paula Dockery, Rep. David Russell Honored for Protecting Local Water Resources.

On July 29, a presentation was made to Governor Jeb Bush by the Florida Council Of 100’s Water Task Force which proposes a total overhaul of Florida’s water management policies. As reported by the St. Petersburg Times in two articles, August 10 and August 16, pumping water from water rich north Florida counties to water poor central and southern counties is at the center of the plan. The following article is an interview with , the Cedar Key News conducted by phone on August 26, 2003 with Republican State Senator Nancy Argenziano, who represents Levy County. This is part two of that interview.

Withlacoochee River Basin Board Information Notebook - 8/8/05 - Annual Conference on Water Management: September 7-9, 2005, ... The Withlacoochee River Basin Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District ...

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District or SWFWMD) has ...concept of "Local Sources First" and discourages the export of water to other ...

Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation - Marty Wanielista. UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA. May 12, 2005 ... Local sources first, Chapter 40 FAC. 7. Use of lowest quality water for ...

CS/SB 312 Water/"Local Sources First", Chapter 98-88, Florida Statutes - In 1997, the legislature passed a comprehensive water supply bill. One issue left unresolved was the issue of looking at local sources prior to transporting water across a water management district’s boundary lines. This law establishes new state water policy whereas the use of local water source should be encouraged, although not mandated. When evaluating whether a permit for transporting and using water across county boundaries is in the public interest, the districts must evaluate a number of considerations aimed at ensuring that local courses of water are investigated and used when possible. Two of the few exceptions allowed by this law include water trans portation for Everglades restoration and electricity production.

Sea of voices urge no water rerouting - At a public hearing on the Council of 100’s report, a lone supporter from Pinellas is heard. By CRAIG PITTMAN, Times Staff Writer, Published October 9, 2003, LAKELAND - Farmers, politicians and utility executives turned out Wednesday to argue against several proposed changes in the way Florida’s water supply is divvied up.

Officials to consider multi-county water deal - Bradenton Herald (September 19, 2005) -A proposed 35-year contract between Manatee County and four other local governments about expanding supplies of drinking water to keep pace with population growth is slated for review Tuesday. The proposal coming before Manatee County commissioners would make Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties and the city of North Port contractual partners in sharing costs of building and operating public water systems through 2040.

Fierce outcry sidelines water distribution plan - Feeling the heat, the governor and legislators grow cool to the idea of allocating state water according to need. By CRAIG PITTMAN and LUCY MORGAN, Times Staff Writers, - Published January 22, 2004
TALLAHASSEE - A controversial proposal to change the way water is distributed throughout the state is dead for this year, the governor and Senate president said. ...legislators from both parties filed bills aimed at blocking water transfers. They also called for strengthening a longstanding state policy called local sources first, which grew out of the Tampa Bay water wars of the 1990s, requiring local governments to exhaust local water supplies before obtaining water elsewhere... Even a bill that calls for a study of the state’s water resources might fall victim to the Council of 100 controversy, said state Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, because lawmakers "are just adamantly opposed to anything that would move in the direction of dismantling Local Sources First."

Improving Florida’s Water Supply Management Structure - Water Management Law — "Local Sources First". Florida water law currently ...By 2005, the legislation. requires local governments to include in their potable ...

October, 2003
The City will "vigorously defend" its water supply against encroachment from overdeveloped South Florida, Mayor John Peyton said Wednesday. A recently released report from the Florida Council of 100, an influential real estate lobbying group, suggested that fresh-water-poor South Florida would have to seek water elsewhere to keep pace with planned development. The Council recommended replacing regional water management with a statewide commission with the authority to divert North Florida’s vast water supply south.

Oct 11, 2003
Florida’s water wars have begun. Again. - In the three weeks since a statewide business group recommended changes to Florida’s water management structure, opposition to the proposal has been fierce... Local governments, including Alachua County and the city of Hawthorne, have passed resolutions against the plan, which could privatize a public resource and lead to the transfer of water across county lines.

Florida Water Resources Manual - of Florida’s water resources are clear. Water ... reasonable local sources and options. In. addition, the transfer of water across county ...

The AASG Position Statement Background - "Water promises to be in the 21st century what oil was to the ... leverage funds from State and local sources to amplify research ...

History of Hillsborough County Water Issues
History of Events Leading to Creation of Tampa Bay Water

Legal Agreements
There are two fundamental legal agreements in existence that govern the operation and development of Tampa Bay Water’s potable water supply sources,... The first legal agreement is known as the "Northern Tampa Bay New Water Supply and Ground Water Withdrawal Reduction Agreement Between West Coast Regional Water Supply Authority, Hillsborough County, Pasco County, Pinellas County, City of Tampa, City of St. Petersburg, City of New Port Richey, and Southwest Florida Water Management District (1998)," also known as the Partnership Agreement.

The second legal agreement is known as the Amended and Restated Interlocal Agreement reorganizing the West Coast Regional Water Supply Authority (1998), also known as the Governance Agreement. ...a new alliance between six governments in west-central Florida: Hillsborough County, Pasco County, Pinellas County, New Port Richey, St. Petersburg and Tampa. Under the Governance Agreement, all member governments relinquished to Tampa Bay Water their individual rights to develop drinking water supply sources. Tampa Bay Water became the sole and exclusive wholesale drinking water supplier for all member governments and has the absolute and unequivocal obligation to meet the wholesale drinking water needs of the member governments.

Tampa Bay Water’s Master Water Plan - includes the development of water supplies from surface, ground and baywater sources, the construction of treatment facilities, and the installation of large-diameter water transmission mains on a "fast track" schedule to meet the deadlines established in the 1998 Interlocal Agreement and Partnership Plan.

Bad Idea for Florida’s Water Supply
Some of Florida’s most influential business leaders have spent the past year meeting behind closed doors to divvy up the state’s water supply...

Florida’s Council of 100 and the Future of Water Supply Management in Florida
In September 2003, the Florida Council of 100 published its Water Management Task Force report, Improving Florida’s Water Supply Management Structure. The report has stimulated lively debate regarding the adequacy of its findings and the substance of its recommendations. The focal point for much of the debate pertains to task force arguments for eliminating the "local sources first" policy that currently governs water supply development in Florida. The task force would replace the "local sources first" policy with one that favors transporting water from non-local sources when doing so would minimize the costs of water supply development. The report emphasizes that transfers of water from non-local sources would be recommended only when doing so would not harm the environment and that transfers of water from non-local sources would be recommended only after the water needs of the sending community had been met. The full text of the report is available on-line at http://www.fc100.org/reports/waterreportfinal.pdf.

Salon Focuses on Power and Water - February 20, 2004
Arnold’s presentation provided an overview of where water is, how the Florida Council of 100 became involved and what some of the Council’s findings were. ...The report also indicated that the Local Sources First law, which requires cities and counties to tap water in their own regions before looking for water elsewhere, was a good law. However, in some cases such as Pinellas County, this isn’t feasible. While the law states "Local Sources First," that doesn’t necessarily mean local sources only. They try to describe it as law that’s part of the natural resource test. The premise they’ve operated under is that the best way to protect the environment is to have a good supply. The supply of the environment will come from better understanding the science of how much water can be taken from the environment to supply consumption.

Council of 100, Florida Water Coalition present dramatically contrasting visions for managing state’s water resources - by Nick Williams
The Florida Council of 100, a group of influential business leaders that provides public policy advice to the governor, has generated considerable controversy over its recommendations for sweeping changes in water management policy. Those recommendations call for the creation of a state water supply commission and possible reform of the "local uses first" guideline that strongly discourages long-distance transfers of water. Issued on Sept. 25, the Council of 100’s 34-page report entitled "Improving Florida’s Water Supply Management Structure," states that fundamental water policy changes are needed in order to make certain that adequate freshwater is available for the state’s growing population. The report cites a Florida Department of Environmental Protection estimate that the population will increase from 15.9 million residents today to about 21.8 million residents by 2020 with freshwater demands increasing from 7.2 billion gallons per day to 9.1 billion gallons per day.

Sept. 2003
Battle lines form over water law rewrite
The fracas will begin this week when the Florida Council of 100, led by developer and Bush fund-raiser Al Hoffman, unveils proposals for the most sweeping rewrite of the state’s water laws in 31 years. They include proposals that could allow the Tampa and Orlando areas to take water from North Florida’s springs and rivers, while giving the private market a foothold in water management.

Lawmakers thirst for water resource legislation - by DINAH VOYLES PULVER, Environment Writer, DELAND — Think of Florida’s water as a huge, tasty pie with everybody wanting a piece.

FLORIDA CHAPTER SIERRA CLUB OPPOSES COUNCIL’S WATER PLAN - Sierra Club News Release - In a recently released report, the pro-development Council of 100 has advocated widespread changes in the way water resources are managed in the state of Florida. It attacks the current system of public ownership and local control of distribution of water, replacing it with a politicized system and privatization. The "Gang of 100" seeks to impact areas of the state that have not yet outstripped their water resources, by having large amounts of this vital resource taken from them, to supply areas that have allowed uncontrolled growth to outstrip the availability of cheap water. The Gang’s plan will have the added effect of continuing the unbridled growth of South Florida, with all its impacts on the environment and quality of life.

Appendix A MAJOR WATER RESOURCE LEGISLATION SINCE 1994

Chapter 8F: The Lower East Coast Regional Water Supply Plan - In 2003, the Water Supply Department of the South Florida Water Management ... protection of existing local sources from elimination or transfer and ...

State Water Policy supply debate in Florida - The 1972 Model Water Code. contained a provision for a graduated annual ... A local-sources-first policy would require regions or ...

August 1999
Florida Water Policy - Discouraging Competing Applications for Water Permits, Encouraging Cost-Effective Water Development - This report updates assessments of statewide water policies and recommends additional improvements. See appendix for a region-by-region summary of district water supply assessments and planning activities to date.

Water Management Policy in Florida: Regional Politics and Market ...The policy politics of water management in Florida over the last several years... policy of "local sources first," pressure remained on TBW to find ...

All five water management districts (WMDs) are required to prepare district water management plans (DWMPs) and update them every 5 years.

September 2005 - St. Johns River Water Management District update

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