I'll be speaking about water issues at Ringling College tonight so posting some of my thoughts about water is probably a good idea.
Strengthen
regional approaches to water
•The legislature has
chosen to rein in the water management districts precisely at the time we are
realizing they have a far larger job to do. Water challenges and opportunities must
be approached regionally.
Move
towards restoring Florida’s original hydrology
That includes raising
aquifer levels, rehydrating wetlands, and watershed protection
•Develop and implement a strategy to restore
the Floridan and other aquifers to historic levels that support spring and
river flows
(EX: Restore Kissengen
Springs!)
• Undo some of the more egregious hydrologic
mistakes of the last century.
• Continue land acquisition that restores
wetlands, safeguards watersheds, and gets people and potential homes out of
floodplains
Per
capita demand reduction
• Develop strategies for further reduction in
per capita water demand, including efficiencies and paying people to use less
water. This will no doubt include both carrots and sticks – more water-frugal
appliances, increased awareness/feedback, and tiered conservation rate
structures
(EX: Use telemetry to
enable households to visualize water use in real time and include data
regarding comparable neighbor households in water bills.)
• Wean Floridians off water consumptive
landscapes, particularly turf.
(EX:
Consider banning use of treated potable water for turf irrigation.)
Broaden
the mission with more comprehensive analysis
• Previous analysis did not take into account
total energy, energy source, and carbon implications of water supply projects.
•Timing of flows needs to
be recognized as important as quality and quantity of water
• Work with health
departments to bring water safety assurance to every home and develop
strategies to address new quality concerns
Decentralization
of water supply
• Make progress on household-scale point-of
use water systems for both potable and non-potable uses.
• Chart a course of transition from central utilities
to hybrid systems that maintains the economic viability of central supply
without charging users more money for less water. (EX: One solution might be to shift more charges for central supply to
fire service protection. Another might be to financially
reward utilities that conserve water and consequently avoid major project
costs.)
