SUWANNEE COUNTY, Fla. (WCTV) – Residents are weighing in on a North Florida water project that could impact the Suwannee River. <\/p>\n
The \u201cWater First North Florida Project\u201d will be discussed at a public open house on Thursday, with officials saying it could help meet water demand and restore the river and aquifer.<\/p>\n
Community members gathered at the Live Oak Public Library on Wednesday night to voice their concerns and learn more about what\u2019s going on ahead of Thursday\u2019s meeting. <\/p>\n
On Wednesday, the Lower Withlacoochee and Upper Suwannee River task force, made up of 12 counties, with one county commissioner from each, voted unanimously to pass a resolution against the Water First North Florida project. <\/p>\n
\u201cOur job is to leave things better than the way we found them, and I just have to have assurance that\u2019s what we\u2019re doing,\u201d Suwannee County commissioner Don Hale said. <\/p>\n
According to a statement from the Suwannee River Water Management District, which is collaborating on the project, \u201cThe project aims to use high-quality reclaimed water\u2026further treat it through a wetland filtration system\u2026and then recharge it into the Floridan Aquifer.”<\/p>\n
According to a map on their website, water would leave the Jacksonville area and be brought to north central Florida to be filtered through a wetland area. <\/p>\n
Suwannee County Commissioner Don Hale says he still doesn\u2019t have enough information.<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess I just need more education on how this would work, and you know, assurance that it\u2019s not going to affect future, you know, citizens of Florida and our community.\u201d <\/p>\n
More news out of the Big Bend:<\/p>\n
But according to Suwannee Riverkeeper Jon S. Quarterman, he says it\u2019s a project to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee River basin. He says while they\u2019re trying to address growing water demand\u2026there need to be other options than using the Suwannee River. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe obvious solution, which apparently they don\u2019t want to do because they don\u2019t like the cost, build a pipe to run the brine way offshore and way deep into the sea. Now, I don\u2019t know how much that would cost, a billion dollars, because that\u2019s the price of this water first north florida project they\u2019re proposing,\u201d Quarterman said. <\/p>\n
Quarterman says the project raises concerns for many people, including cost and possible health impacts. He says there are still too many unanswered questions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s one of the biggest problems, there\u2019s so many things that just aren\u2019t known yet, this thing is barrelling along,\u201d Quarterman says. \u201cBy their optimistic scenario, they wouldn\u2019t start sending anything through the pipe for 13 years, so how they doing such a humongous plan when they know so little?\u201d <\/p>\n
District officials say in that same statement, \u201cWater First North Florida is the most protective, long-term solution\u2026with the greatest environmental benefit\u2026to restore and protect our natural water resources.\u201d <\/p>\n
The Suwannee River Water Management District will hold an open house on Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. At the North Florida Research and Education Center in Live Oak. They say they\u2019ll be answering questions and working to dispel misinformation.<\/p>\n
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