Regionwide Water Plan to Address Growing Strain on Floridan Aquifer
Thursday, August 29, 2013
By: Amy Green

August 29, 2013 | WMFE - By 2035 Central Florida's demand for water is expected to exceed what the Floridan aquifer can provide. That's according to the Central Florida Water Initiative, which is exploring how to meet future needs.

The Central Florida Water Initiative is a collaboration among three water management districts, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and regional water utilities.

For two years the group has studied how much water the region has and how much we need.

Gary Fries of Polk County's Utilities Department says conservation is the best and cheapest way to extend the region's water.

"The resource that we've always used has been a fairly cheap resource. Water has been available. Go out and drill a well, and you've got water. And that obviously is not going to continue."

The Floridan aquifer historically has supplied most of the region's water, but Fries says future sources also will include reclaimed and desalinated water.

The Central Florida Water initiative expects to produce a regionwide water plan by next year. Public meetings are scheduled throughout the region in the coming months.