Kuhl, Gary W.

English

Research Papers in Economics

THE CHALLENGE  OF MEETING
SOUTHWEST  FLORIDA'S WATER  SUPPLY  NEEDS
Gary W. Kuhl
Southwest Florida  Water Management District
Safeguarding  Florida's water is assigned to the five water manage-
ment districts  that  collectively  encompass  the state.  The  Southwest
Florida Water  Management  District, with jurisdiction in 16  of Flori-
da's 67  counties,  concentrated  during the past decade  on cataloguing
and regulating  groundwater use  which meets  approximately  90 per-
cent of the District's needs (excluding power generation, much of which
uses brackish water)  [15]. Ultimately it is the District's responsibility
to oversee  competition for water supplies. Its strategy centers on pre-
serving the natural features that hold and replenish fresh water and
to foster  innovations to allow the available  supply to serve  more peo-
ple.
The Major Issues
Meeting  the water  requirements  in southwest  Florida calls  for de-
termining what long-term water demands likely will be and then plan-
ning to develop the supply sources  to meet those demands. A growing
population punctuates this importance.  Certain factors help to predict
water needs.  Public supply is  influenced by local zoning policies,  eco-
nomic conditions,  and other development  incentives. Agricultural water
use depends  on availability of suitable lands,  local rainfall, soil types,
and the crop type. Southwest Florida's  largest industrial  use is phos-
phate mining  and processing,  which  is just emerging  from  a  severe
slump  caused  by the national  economy.  Good  water supply planning
is still in its infancy  in much of southwest Florida.
Once water demands have been defined, the problem  is minimizing
impacts  to the resource  as well  as balancing the limited  freshwater
supply  among users. Major wells and well fields in southwest  Florida
can  cause  drawdowns  in the deep  Floridan  aquifer  and the shallow
water table.  In drought or peak demand conditions  these  can  impact
neighboring wells, lake levels,  and stream flows. Over a long term the
stress  can harm crops,  change prevalent  vegetation,  or even  destroy
plants dependent  on a high water table. Poorly managed pumping in
some coastal  areas can allow salt water to seep into the fresh aquifer.
Many  of Florida's highly populated  coastal  communities  import fresh
65water from areas  inland because  of coastal saltwater  intrusion.  This
means fresh water is transferred across natural watersheds and polit-
ical boundaries  and is not returned  to its original basin. Without proper
control, this  can  cause  an  imbalance  and make future  water supply
more expensive  to the  people  of the contributing basin.  Some coastal
cities are supplied  by river reservoirs  and are concerned  about devel-
opment encroaching  on their watersheds.  Too  much drainage  of wet-
lands,  besides upsetting  flood management,  threatens the area's crucial
aquifer recharge that is dependent  on precipitation.
Background  Information
Between  1970  and  1982,  public  supply  and  rural  water  demands
increased by 62 percent in the Southwest Florida Water Management
District.  Another  48 percent  increase  in demand  is  predicted  by the
year 2000 [16].  Largely because the phosphate industry instituted re-
circulation  systems between 1975 and  1980, industrial use dropped by
38  percent  between  1970  and  1982.  We  also  expect  to  document  re-
ductions  in phosphate  industry water use in 1983  because of reduced
production  in the  wake  of a depressed  fertilizer  market. Agricultural
water use, the largest single  category,  has remained  about the same
since 1970  [6; 15]. In summary, total water use, except for the brackish
water used for power generation, has remained about the same during
those past  12  years.  In this time  frame, reductions  in industrial  use
have offset the increase in public supply  needs.
In Pinellas and  Hillsborough,  the  two  urban counties surrounding
Tampa Bay,  and the rapidly growing, water-rich  Pasco County  to the
north,  water supply planning  is the responsibility  of the  West  Coast
Regional  Water  Supply  Authority.  While  its  water use  is permitted
through the Southwest  Florida Water Management  District, the  Au-
thority  develops  and  operates  wholesale  public  supplies  to  meet  the
growing  demands  in the  three-county  area  [23].  Tampa  and  St.  Pe-
tersburg, as well as the three counties, make up the Authority's voting
membership.  Two  other  water  supply  authorities  formed  by  inter-
county agreements are picking up similar responsibilities in the north-
ern and southern parts of the District.
We have a better appreciation for the dynamics of coastal hydrologic
systems  than a  decade ago  and the  knowledge  to better manage  the
resource.  The  District now  has the  capacity  to  statistically  analyze
information such as rainfall, water level, well construction, and pump-
ing records  collected  over that decade,  forming  a regional  water pic-
ture.  The District can foresee  problems  and prescribe  mitigating  action.
Leading  into the districtwide  drought of 1981, hydrologic data collec-
tion and analyses provided enough warning to trigger a water shortage
program before conditions were made worse  [17]. Computer modelling
allows drawdown predictions around large well fields even before they
are built. Still, there are problems mainly where concentrated coastal
66populations are competing with other water users in the interior.  The
competition for water will keep growing unless innovations  for assur-
ing adequate  supply are pursued.
Options  for Resolving  the Problems
Water supply problems vary throughout the 10,000-square-mile Dis-
trict.  The  search  for solutions  shows  some  under  way  and others  in
need of investigation.  Discussed here are specific options which might
also work elsewhere.
*  Water Conservation and Reuse - The  city  of Orlando  has
demonstrated that retrofitting existing homes  with inexpensive
water-saving  devices  reduces  household  water use by  about  18
percent and offsets the need for multimillion-dollar  water supply
and treatment expansion  [10]. Through reuse, the phosphate  in-
dustry cut  its  water  requirements  by  47  percent  from  1970  to
1983 while production increased  by 32 percent,  reflecting indus-
try growth  despite the  economic  slump  [9].  Leak  detection  and
repair in many public utility systems has resulted in substantial
savings,  though  much more  is  still needed.  Systems leaking  10
to  15 percent are not uncommon.  In a major reuse effort, the city
of St.  Petersburg has  installed  a  secondary  water  system,  sup-
plied by highly treated  waste water, for non-potable  needs  such
as lawn irrigation. Agriculture continues to experiment with low-
volume  irrigation  systems  and  watering  at night  to  cut evapo-
ration.  Conversion  costs  must be  considered  here,  and  research
necessarily  centers  on each  crop  type.  The  Water Management
District's  consumptive use permit  program  is an important tool
to prompt  water conserving  activities  by means  of stipulations
attached  to  permits.  State and  federal  financial  incentives  also
would help. Utility rate structures other than those encouraging
high  water  use  could be  a  major  breakthrough.  Water  conser-
vation education  is important, especially  in light of the tremen-
dous  influx  of  residents  who  are  unfamiliar  with  southwest
Florida's water resources.  Water conservation  is one option that
has not  been taken very seriously in some  areas but has a great
potential to offset some of the climbing water demand.
*  Long-Range Planning  for  Needs and Sources of Water Supply
- Perhaps the single greatest error water managers can commit
is waiting until a water need  is upon them before  beginning  to
search for solutions. Often this means the easiest solution is sought
as opposed to the best solution. A regional water supply authority
can  serve  as the  seat  for  planning.  A  strong  consumptive  use
permit program requiring long-term  plans and periodic  updates
from users big enough to impact the resource is a very important
tool in  our District.  The use  of the  lowest  quality water  appro-
priate for a given end - such as using brackish water in cooling
towers - preserves clean water for drinking.
67One  of our  most significant  long-range  planning  activities  is
buying land for  various  water management  purposes  including
natural  recharge  protection  and  future  wellfield  development.
The District is matching  state "Save  Our Rivers" money  to buy
land along the Withlacoochee,  Hillsborough,  Braden, and Myakka
Rivers [18].
In the past two  years the Florida Legislature  has passed  sig-
nificant  water  protection  measures.  The  Water  Quality  Assur-
ance Act  of 1983  and  the Wetlands  Protection  Act of 1984 were
centerpieces of the past two sessions. The first addressed ground
water protection  and hazardous wastes; the second recognizes the
importance  of our  wetland  areas  in maintaining  both  quantity
and quality of the entire water regime.
A state and regional growth management planning framework
was  mandated  this spring.  The  state's  Local  Government  Com-
prehensive Planning Act of 1975 needs teeth to protect water and
land. Local utilities should be required to plan ahead  and to use
local water supplies as efficiently as possible before being allowed
to consider outside  sources.
*  Converting Salt Water to Potable Supply - Reverse osmosis
is  expensive  because  of energy  requirements,  but  strides  have
been made to reduce the cost of treating highly mineralized water
for  potable  use.  The  common  sense  approach  has been  to treat
brackish  ground water having a lower  mineral concentration than
sea water  [1].  This makes  the  cost  more  competitive  with  con-
ventional  sources.  Government  funding  for  test facilities  could
help.  Successful  reverse  osmosis plants  are used  in the cities  of
Sarasota  and Venice  and by numerous private suppliers.  As this
source becomes more economically competitive with conventional
sources,  demand  may be eased on limited freshwater supplies.
*  Building Flexibility into Water Supply Systems - Unfore-
seeable  problems  such  as drought or unusual seasonal  demands
often  ruin the best  laid plans  for  adequate  water  supply.  This
makes  system flexibility  highly desirable.  There  are several  in-
novative  techniques  for such flexibility.  Manatee  County has built
a "recharge/recovery" system to augment its water supply. When
the Manatee River Reservoir is high after the summer rainy sea-
son, water is recharged through a well to the underground  lime-
stone formation which stores water high in natural elements such
as  sulfates  and  chlorides.  The  "bubble"  of fresh  water  can  be
recovered  months later since groundwater  movement is very slow.
This eases peak demand on the reservoir during the dry season
[2]. The city of Tampa is drawing drinking water from the Tampa
Bypass Canal, which was built for flood control but is now serving
a  supply  function,  too.  The  city  is experimenting  with diluting
treated  wastewater  in  the  canal,  and  then  withdrawing  like
68amounts from peripheral wells.  Such local  standby options  min-
imize  the  need  to  import  water  across  hydrologic  or  political
boundaries.
*  Improved Regulation and Coordination - It is  difficult  to
separate  water  quality  from  water  quantity.  For  example,  in-
creasing the permitted withdrawal  from a river may change the
wasteload allocation permitted  downstream. Two different  agen-
cies  issue the  permits  involved  in  this  example.  Coordination
between  Florida's  water management  districts and the  Depart-
ment of Environmental  Regulation has grown into shared  office
space, cross use of people and equipment, and permanent, mutual
liaison positions. Every attempt is being made to standardize new
wetlands  protection  activities.  Some water  quality  duties  have
been delegated to the water management districts, and this Dis-
trict is under contract to design groundwater monitoring to safe-
guard wells  against pesticides  and other hazardous  wastes. The
District has adopted  increased  surface  water management  reg-
ulations to help  protect  the state's water resources  against per-
manent  damages  from  encroaching  development.  We  plan  a
refinement  to handle the demands  of strip mining and land re-
clamation by  this time  next year.  Also under  consideration  for
next year  is the common  sense  approach  of consolidating  regu-
lation  of various  water-related  activities,  sometimes  with  con-
flicting priorities,  so  that all  aspects are  viewed  on  one  permit
application.
REFERENCES
[1]  Bureau of Economic  and Business Research. Florida  Statistical  Abstract. University of Florida,
1983.
[2]  .Florida  Estimates of Population. University of Florida,  1983.
[3]  .Projections of Florida Population by  County,  1985-2020. University  of Florida,
1973.
[4]  CH2M  Hill.  Hydrogeologic Report: Drilling and Testing of Wells  for Reverse Osmosis Water
Supply. Gainesville  FL: Report for Englewood Water  District,  1980.
[5]  .Recharge-Recovery at Lake Manatee: Phase  II. Gainesville FL:  Final report for the
Southwest Florida Water Management  District, March  1984.
[6]  Duerr,  A.D.,  and J.E.  Sohm. Estimated Water Use in Southwest Florida  1981 and Summary of
Annual  Water Use,  1970, 1975 and 1977-81.  Tallahassee:  U.S.  Geological  Survey  Open-File
Report 83-45, 1983.
[7]  Duerr,  A.D.,  and J.T. Trommer. Estimated Water Use in the Southwest Florida Water Manage-
ment District and Adjacent Areas, 1979. Tallahassee:  U.S. Geological  Survey Open-File  Report
81-56, 1981.
[8]  .Estimated Water Use in the Southwest Florida Water Management District and
Adjacent Areas, 1980. Tallahassee:  U.S. Geological  Survey Open-File Report  81-1060.
[9]  Florida Phosphate  Council.  Environmental Fact  Sheet. Lakeland  FL,  1984.
[10]  Haven,  Robert.  "Orlando  Water  Conservation  Program."  Paper  presented  at  the Southwest
Florida Water Management  District Governing Board  Workshop, Brooksville,  1 May  1984.
[11]  Leach, S.D. Source, Use, and  Disposition  of Water in Florida,  1975. Tallahassee:  U.S. Geological
Survey Water  Resources Investigations 78-17,  1978.
[12]  .Source, Use, and Disposition  of Water in Florida, 1980. Tallahassee:  U.S.  Geolog-
ical Survey Water  Resources Investigations  82-4090.
69[13]  Leach,  S.D.,  and H.G. Healy. Estimated Water Use in Florida,  1977. Tallahassee:  U.S. Geolog-
ical Survey Water  Resources Investigations  79-112,  1980.
[14]  Pride,  R.W.  Estimated Use of Water in Florida, 1970. Florida  Bureau  of Geology  Information
Circular  83. Tallahassee:  U.S. Geological  Survey,  1973.
[15]  Southwest  Florida Water  Management  District. 1982 Estimated Water Use in the Southwest
Florida  Water Management District. Brooksville: Planning and Performance  Evaluation Section,
June  1984.
[16]  .Population  Estimates and Projections 1980-2020, Interim Report Update. Brooks-
ville:  Planning and Performance  Evaluation Section,  1983.
[17]  ."Consumptive  Use Permit  Data." Unpublished  data compiled  from monthly  user
reports, Brooksville,  1975-1983.
[18]  - .Save Our Rivers Five-Year Plan. Brooksville:  Real  Estate Division, January 1984.
[19]  U.S.  Geological Survey.  "1981 Industrial Water Use." Unpublished data compiled from monthly
user reports. Tampa FL.
[20]  . "1981  Public  Supply  Reports."  Unpublished  data  compiled  from  monthly  user
reports. Tampa  FL.
[21]  . "1982  Agricultural  Water  Use."  Unpublished  data  compiled  from  monthly user
reports. Tampa FL.
[22]  _  . "1982  Livestock Water  Use."  Unpublished  data  compiled  from monthly  user re-
ports. Tampa FL.
[23]  West Coast Regional Water Supply Authority. Regional Water Supply Needs and Sources, 1982-
1995, Update Report. Clearwater  FL,  1982.
[241  Zellars-Williams,  Inc.  Phosphate Water Use.  Brooksville  FL:  Southwest  Florida Water  Man-
agement District, March 1982.
70WORKSHOPS
WATER QUALITY  EDUCATION
WATER ALLOCATION
WATER DEVELOPMENT  -
A POLICY EXERCISE

1982 Livestock Water Use.&quot; Unpublished data compiled from monthly user reports.

Agricultural Water Use.&quot; Unpublished data compiled from monthly user reports.

and Disposition of Water in Florida,

Consumptive Use Permit Data.&quot; Unpublished data compiled from monthly user reports,

Environmental Fact Sheet.

Estimated Use of Water in Florida,

Estimated Water Use in Southwest Florida

Estimated Water Use in the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Adjacent Areas,

Estimated Water Use in the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Brooksville: Planning and Performance Evaluation Section,

Hydrogeologic Report: Drilling and Testing of Wells for Reverse Osmosis Water Supply. Gainesville FL: Report for Englewood Water District,

Industrial Water Use.&quot; Unpublished data compiled from monthly user reports.

Orlando Water Conservation Program.&quot; Paper presented at the Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Workshop,

Our Rivers Five-Year Plan. Brooksville: Real Estate Division,

Population Estimates and Projections 1980-2020, Interim Report Update. Brooksville: Planning and Performance Evaluation Section,

Projections of Florida Population by County,

Public Supply Reports.&quot; Unpublished data compiled from monthly user reports.

Recharge-Recovery at Lake Manatee: Phase II. Gainesville FL: Final report for the Southwest Florida Water Management District,

Regional Water Supply Authority. Regional Water Supply Needs and Sources, 1982-1995, Update Report. Clearwater FL,

Use in the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Adjacent Areas,

Use, and Disposition of Water in Florida,

THE CHALLENGE OF MEETING SOUTHWEST FLORIDA'S WATER SUPPLY NEEDS

THE CHALLENGE OF MEETING SOUTHWEST FLORIDA'S WATER SUPPLY NEEDS

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Research Papers in Economics