Florida’s population is predicted to break 20 million by the end of 2015. Nowhere will the strain on the state’s natural resources be more pronounced than on its water supply, making 2014 a good year to start managing water resources more assertively.
Some Florida communities have taken noteworthy steps toward water sustainability. When Gainesville Regional Utilities, which serves the city and surrounding area, began seeking a 20-year groundwater pumping permit from the St. Johns River Water Management District last year, it decided it would ask to withdraw no more water than it is allowed to take now — saying essentially it can accommodate an expected 24% increase in customers over the next 20 years with conservation measures and increased use of reclaimed water. The Gainesville region has a strong, well-planned growth agenda, so its approach isn’t some tree-hugger anti-business tactic.