St. Johns River Water Management District

News Release

nr09-031

Board adopts amendments to 2005 District Water Supply Plan

PALATKA, Fla., May 12, 2009 - The St. Johns River Water Management District's Governing Board today adopted amendments to its 2005 District Water Supply Plan (DWSP) that support stronger water conservation and identify potential project options for utilities to meet their future water supply needs.

The amendments, called the Fourth Addendum, mark the fourth time the 2005 DWSP has been updated and supersede the previous amendments. The Fourth Addendum:

• Adds an expanded and updated description of the role of water conservation and the use of reclaimed water to meet projected water demands
• Removes four water supply development project options
• Identifies 16 completed water supply development projects
• Refines descriptions of water supply development project options

The Fourth Addendum does not issue District permits for project options identified in the water supply plan nor does the inclusion of a project option in the Fourth Addendum guarantee that a District permit will be issued. Rather, the Fourth Addendum identifies potential project options and serves as a starting point for utilities to determine how to meet their future needs.

"Ideally, we would conserve away the water supply problem," said District Board Chairman Susan Hughes. "But relying solely on water conservation to meet future water supply needs is uncertain, and it typically takes at least 10 years to plan, construct and implement a water supply project. Both additional water conservation and alternative water supply project options will be needed to achieve environmentally sustainable water supplies."

Water management districts are mandated by the state Legislature to develop water supply plans to address at least a 20-year planning period to ensure adequate water supplies are available to meet future water use needs while sustaining water resources and related natural systems.

A water supply plan must include a water supply development component, which includes a list of water supply development project options (traditional and alternative) from which water suppliers may choose to pursue for water supply development.

Florida law requires that sufficient project options are identified so that water supplies will exceed the need for water. Planning in this manner is required so that the needs of both water users and the environment will be protected.

Hughes said that conservation is an equally critical component in water supply planning and in achieving greater water use efficiency. The District currently has the most stringent, districtwide, year-round watering restrictions of any water management district in Florida.

The District has promoted water conservation through numerous strategic initiatives, and has allocated $6 million this year to cost-share on implementing pilot projects with new and promising water conservation technologies.

For more information, visit the District's Web page on the Fourth Addendum at http://www.sjrwmd.com/facts/fourthaddendum.html.

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