SPECIAL REPORT: The pressing water issues facing north central Florida
1. LAND/WATERWAYS PRESERVATION
Protecting the Floridan Aquifer — the main source of our drinking water — is arguably the most important conservation step going forward.
The Alachua Conservation Trust, or ACT, is a nonprofit organization that helps protect North Central Florida’s natural landscapes. It was created in 1988 and has since helped conserve over 56,000 acres of land.
The ACT provides volunteer opportunities to clean up local springs and rivers, donate to various campaigns to save our aquifer and fights against building development near natural freshwater landscapes.
A current focus of the ACT is conservation easements. Landowners allow their property to be contractually protected as private land forever. This means the land can never be used for water bottling and pumping in the future.
The Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida has donated over $45 million to the ACT for this easement campaign, known as the Simple Things for Our Springs project.
Preserving our natural springs is also important in the effort to protect our limited freshwater supply.
The establishment of protected areas, enhanced monitoring and the implementation of sustainable tourism practices can protect these aquatic habitats while still allowing visitors to responsibly appreciate and enjoy their beauty.
Poe Springs and Gilchrist Blue Springs are a few of several springs that are currently undergoing restoration projects to allow harmed parts of these waterways to heal from the disturbances of humans walking, swimming and splashing in them.
These restoration projects provide the springs with time to become healthier.
2. USING LESS WATER
One of the most straight-forward solutions to conserving water is to use less water.
Simple actions like watering lawns less and cutting down on unnecessary water use can make a big difference. When people are mindful of how they use and consume water on a daily basis, it is more feasible to keep larger quantities of water in the aquifer.
Stacie Greco, the Water Resources Program Manager at the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department, said we have to save more water for natural waterways if we want to allow them to flourish.
“Lawn watering is huge, it’s a big piece of the pie,” Greco said. “Every time you turn on your irrigation system, it uses a ton of water. If you want that really manicured landscape, it takes water–so you’re taking water from the aquifer and the springs.”
Greco said agriculture and irrigation are not the only factors depleting the aquifer.
“We are really blessed to have the aquifer and have this source of freshwater, and it’s really easy to tap, but then that contributes to overuse,” Greco said. “There’s not enough water to meet our current use or our projected use and to also have healthy springs.”
Regularly monitoring the health of the aquifer and making smart decisions based on updated wellbeing statuses will allow us to protect it better. It is essential to educate as many people as possible about how crucial the aquifer is and how individuals and businesses can use less water on a daily basis.
By being mindful of how frequently you water your yard and use water in your own household, eventually the level of demand for freshwater could decrease.
3. SENDING LESS POLLUTION INTO WATER
Springs and the aquifer face threats from pollution from nitrates caused by agricultural runoff, septic tanks and freshwater pumping.
As farmers, gardeners or residents add fertilizers to their plants and produce, rain runoff can bring these chemicals into nearby rivers and springs, or help them absorb into the ground.
The best practice to stop polluting these natural waterways with nitrates is to avoid the use of fertilizers altogether.
Creating natural compost from household items like egg shells, banana peels and coffee grounds can act as a natural alternative for harmful chemical-filled fertilizers.
Additionally, companies can combat pollution levels in our aquifer and waterways by investing in new ways to treat and recycle water. Aquifer recharge, as seen in Sweetwater Wetlands Park, allows us to refill our aquifer with water.
With fresh, clean water flowing back into our waterways, it can help filter out the polluted water that may already be present in some areas.
4. CUTTING BACK ON PLASTICS USE
With 1.3 billion plastic bottles being used each day worldwide, the demand for groundwater pumping and the presence of plastic waste continue to increase.
In order to stop this pattern, the demand for bottled water must first decrease.
One step toward decreasing this demand is by changing water consumption habits. Investing in reusable water bottles, using water filtration devices such as Brita filters and not purchasing plastic bottles when in stores or at events are all feasible methods toward straying away from plastic.
Avoiding the use of single-use plastic bottles has a large impact on the health of natural waterways, but another method to fight against the harm of bottled water is by fighting against the production of these containers themselves.
Speaking out through campaigns and boycotts, voting to protect waterways in elections and reaching out to local government officials are all actions that have been used in the past and are recommended by water activists to help prevent or slow the rate of water extraction of local bottling plants.
Preserving Florida's freshwater doesn't have to be complicated, but it is important and time sensitive. By managing our water wisely, educating people about conservation, protecting our springs, investing in new technologies and working together, we can ensure that Florida's liquid treasures remain abundant and healthy for generations to come.
SPECIAL REPORT: The pressing water issues facing north central Florida
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