Water District says North Florida water supplies will carry us through next 20 years of growth

The Northwest Florida Water Management District says there is enough water in North Florida to supply the area for the next 20-years without looking for more sources. The District says it anticipates that the population in North Florida will grow by 40 percent over the next 20 years, requiring a 150 million gallon a day increase in water use. That includes a 95 million gallon per day increase in Public water usage, a 25 million gallon per day increase for commercial, industrial, and institutional purposes, and an 11 million gallon per day increase in water used for power generation. Agriculture, recreation and domestic self-supply are each projected to increase less than 10 million gallons per day. The Water Management District says that need should be met by current and planned water supply sources without any new Regional Water Supply Plans. The water management district oversees seven regions reaching from Wakulla County to Pensacola. The district says existing sources remain sufficient for inland regions, but the three along the coast including Franklin and Gulf counties will have to develop alternative water supply sources over the next 20 years to meet increased need.