Regional Water Supply Planning

Informational meeting held February 7, 2024

An informational meeting was held February 7, 2024, to provide an overview of the process and tasks associated with the 2024 Regional Water Supply Plan Update.  A copy of the presentation can be found here: February 7 Presentation.

For questions or additional information, please contact Kathleen Coates at Kathleen.Coates@nwfwater.com or (850) 539-5999.

Overview

Every five years, the Northwest Florida Water Management District updates a District-wide water supply assessment (WSA) to evaluate whether existing and anticipated water sources are sufficient to meet future demands while sustaining water resources and associated natural systems. If the District determines a region’s water needs are likely to exceed available water sources in the next 20 years, the District will prepare a Regional Water Supply Plan (RWSP), which identifies alternatives for meeting the anticipated future water needs  (as required by section 373.709, F.S.).

The 2018 Water Supply Assessment Update was completed in December 2018. The Governing Board determined the continued need for regional water supply planning in Region II and that no other NWFWMD regions needed regional water supply planning for the planning horizon. The District reevaluates the determination of the need for regional water supply planning every five years. The Region II RWSP was developed with public involvement throughout 2019.

The 2019 Region II RWSP was approved at the District’s regular Governing Board meeting on January 23, 2020.

2019 Region II Regional Water Supply Plan

Final Order 20-015

Public Involvement

Pursuant to Section 373.709(1), Florida Statutes, regional water supply planning is conducted in an open public process, actively engaging stakeholders in public education, outreach, and in seeking input. Public workshops discussing the Water Supply Assessment, including the data and analysis that would go into the Region II RWSP, were held in July 2018. Following the December 2018 approval of staff’s recommendation to continue the RWSP as noted above, a Region II water supply planning consultation meeting was held January 15, 2019 in Fort Walton Beach.

To review and discuss proposed water supply development and water resource development projects, two workshops were held in October 2019 in DeFuniak Springs. The workshops presented the Draft Region II Regional Water Supply Plan (RWSP) 2019 Update and invited questions and discussion. Public comment was accepted on the draft plan through October 30, 2019. A record of Region II RWSP public comments is available here.

Information and links to regions that have had a RWSP to date are noted below. Any questions or comments may be directed to Paul Thorpe at (850) 539-5999 or Paul.Thorpe@nwfwater.com.


Region II – Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton Counties

The Region II RWSP was first approved in 2000; updated in 2006, 2012, and 2019.


Region III – Bay County

The Region III RWSP was first approved in 2008 and updated in 2014. This plan was discontinued in December 2018.


2007 Regional Water Supply Plan – Region V, Franklin and Gulf Counties

The Region V RWSP was approved in 2007 and discontinued in 2014.