News & Public Affairs

Tampa Bay Water gets 90 million gallon/day permit listen

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Tags: Tampa Bay Water, SWFWMD, Southwest Florida Water Management District, water wars, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Odessa, water

The board that oversees water usage in the Tampa Bay area has granted Tampa Bay Water permission to withdraw 90 million gallons of water per day for another ten years. This means the area’s biggest supplier of water can continue withdrawing the vital resource from area lakes, streams, and the rich aquifer that underlies much of the Sunshine state. Today water manager Alba Mas told the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s governing board the agreement comes with several conditions. ...

SWFWMD Board Considers Impact of January Freeze listen

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Tags: SWFWMD, swiftmud, water, drought, sinkholes

During this January’s hard freeze, farmers sprayed well water onto their plants to protect them from the cold. There’s still controversy over who will pay for damaged wells and roads.

More than 50 people today attended the Southwest Florida Water Management District Board meeting at Hillsborough Community College Plant City campus. Plant City homeowner Steven Gambrells is concerned that the high volume of water pumped from the Flori...

Water Summit Shows Disconnect Between Officials and Conservationists listen

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Tags: SWFWMD, Southwest Florida Water Management District, climate change, water, desalination, Comprehensive plan, Paula Dye

Today Hillsborough’s City-County Planning Commission held a forum to brainstorm on how to deal with diminishing water resources amid a growing population. The event attracted everyone from county officials to activists, though not everyone was satisfied with what they heard.

County Planner Melissa Zornitta says that, despite recent stats showing a net loss, Hillsborough County’s population is growing.

One of her colleagues said that this translates to adding to the current number by the...