News & Public Affairs
Water Summit Shows Disconnect Between Officials and Conservationists listen
03/11/10 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
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...
Be the first to commentTampa City Council workshop on reusing reclaimed water listen
02/25/10 Joshua Lee HoltonWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: reclaimed water, water, Tampa City Council
Is using reclaimed water safe? Does it really just send sewer water to drinking water faucets? Officials from the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) and environmental engineers say it is safe, and will be necessary to have over the next 50 years is current supplies are to run out. Tampa City Council held a reclaimed water workshop this morning.
Reclaimed water from wastewater can be treated a...
Be the first to commentHillsborough County Commission Approves ELAPP Cone Ranch Purchase listen
02/17/10 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: water, ELAPP, Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program, Al Higginbotham, Mariella Smith, Conservation, Hillsborough County Commission, Cone Ranch
The Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners voted 6-0 today to transfer Cone Ranch from the county water utility to its Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program (ELAPP).
The purchase will take place using $11.8 million in ELAPP bond money, which Utilities and Commerce Administrator Mike Merrill said was less than what he was hoping for.
Water Utility Director Paul Vanderploog said that not transferring the land for the price of a full assessed value that may have total...
Be the first to commentReclaimed water could be cleaner than many think listen
02/16/10 Joshua Lee HoltonWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: reclaimed water, reservoir, water, Tampa Bay Water, swiftmud
Dirty water may mean disgust, illness and waste for many, but with treatment, it could be made suitable for reuse. Last night the University of South Florida joined city officials with scientists and water management authorities to discuss the future of using reclaimed water in Tampa.
Reclaimed water can be used for many purposes other than just giving people water to drink. It can be used for irrigation, creating wetlands, and can be injected underground to ward off salt water intrusion....
Be the first to commentSWFWMD funds well repairs listen
01/26/10 Mark AndersonWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: swiftmud, water, water usage
The Tampa Bay area experienced its longest cold snap on record earlier this month. To protect their crops from the freeze, strawberry growers pumped billions of gallons of water from Florida’s aquifer onto their fruit. The massive water use created a record 60-foot drop in aquifer levels, drying up hundreds of residential wells and creating sinkholes. Today, the Southwest Florida Water Management Board approved spending up to $250,000 of public money to repair the private wells.
The 11-da...
1 commentsDesalinization plant outage listen
11/10/09 Mark AndersonWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: water, water shortage
The Tampa Bay Waters desalinization plant was shut down last weekend after a power outage occurred in Apollo Beach. The abrupt shutdown damaged the troubled water supply plant.
The desalinization plant had another problem last weekend, when several pipelines burst, forcing an extended shutdown for repairs. The damage was caused by a condition known as “water hammer,” which can result if high pressure water in motion is forced to stop suddenly, creating a pipe-breaking pressure surge. ...
Be the first to commentDrought and water restrictions continue says SWFWMD listen
11/06/09 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: swiftmud, water, drought, reservoir
Despite a moderate amount of summer rain, the west Central Florida region is still in a multi-year drought entering the winter dry season. That means water restrictions are still in place throughout the entire Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD). According to SWFWMD spokesperson Robyn Felix, the restrictions are most severe in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties.
Be the first to commentWater: A Global Crisis listen
11/06/09 Joshua Lee HoltonWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: water, water quality, oceans, environment
Water scarcity as a result of climate change could create global security issues. USF’s College of Public Health recently partnered with the Physicians for Social Responsibility and the Patel Center for Global Solutions for a panel discussion on water issues.
Disappearing sources of clean water have been a major concern for bay area residents. Aquatic biologist Thomas Crisman said salt water intrusion has contaminated freshwater aquifers.
According to a US geological survey, two-thir...
Be the first to commentSWFWMD extends water restrictions for only one month though staff recommended longer listen
06/23/09 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: water, watering restrictions
Water-use restrictions will remain in place for at least another month. This morning in Brooksville, the board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) voted unanimously to extend the water restrictions until the end of July. But they did that despite a SWFWMD staff recommendation to extend the restrictions until the end of September.
Despite May’s above-average rainfall, the region remains mired in a long-term drought. Rainfall this month has been well below average for...
Be the first to commentWater managers from around the world at USF listen
06/01/09 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Water, USF, Patel Center
This morning at the University of South Florida, 20 water managers from around the world exchanged ideas about that essential resource with people from the Tampa Bay area. The internationals are students from the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education in Delft, The Netherlands.
USF’s Dr. Kiran C. Patel Center for Global Solutions hosted the students, who are in Florida to learn about “Sustainable Water Resources Management ...
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