Last fall, the Suwannee River and St. Johns River Water Management Districts entered into an agreement to work together to coordinate water resource management within the two districts. They are now joining forces with the Department of Environmental Protection to approach local elected officials and area stakeholders, to join them in forming the North Florida Regional Water Supply Partnership.

“Partnerships are critical to protecting our shared water resources. Through our work with St. Johns, DEP and the communities and stakeholders throughout the region, we will ensure long-term, sustainable water supplies,” Charlie Houder, SRWMD assistant executive director, said

According to the SRWMD, the Partnership is “an initiative to protect natural resources and ensure cost-effective and sustainable water supplies.”

The public meeting is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m., on March 7, at the Alachua City Hall, 15100 N.W. 142 Terrace, in Alachua. The formation of the stakeholder committee will be announced at the meeting.

“The meeting on March 7 is going to be the first public discussion by the two districts and DEP. We will be looking for feedback from the people,” Houder said. “It has yet to be determined exactly how the stakeholder committee will work. The more people we have talking about water issues the better. It is the best way to get answers.”

SRWMD stated in a press release that the stakeholder committee will comprise of groups and entities throughout the region. It cited that some of the elements of the Partnership include, “developing a shared tool to predict and assess water resources impacts; studying the regional groundwater decline in North Florida; creating consistency and coordination in setting minimum flows and levels; collecting and sharing science-based data; developing a regional water supply plan; and forming the stakeholder committee to ensure that stakeholders have a meaningful opportunity to provide input.”

Houder and Hans G. Tanzler III, SJRWMD executive director, and other senior staff will speak at county commission meetings within the two districts to inform the public about water resource issues and to determine participation with the Partnership.

The water district representatives met with Hamilton County commissioners on Tuesday night, Feb. 21. They will visit the Lafayette County Commission at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 28 and with the Suwannee County Commission at 9 a.m., on March 6.

For more information on the Partnership, please visit NorthFloridaWater.com.