Big companies should pay fair share for aquifer water (09 June 2009) The Florida Times-Union (opinion)

Ron Littlepage offers his opinion that the argument in favor of offshore drilling as a financial benefit to Florida raises the question of allowing large companies, industries, and agricultural conglomerates to pump water from the Floridan aquifer while paying nothing lacks logic. In a specific example, water bottling companies (such as Zephyrhills, although Littlepage does not name any particular companies) take the water for free, bottle it, and sell it for large profit. This brings the concern of the depleted aquifer, continued growth and development, and the need for alternate sources of water. The St. Johns River Water Management District has proposed removing water from the St. Johns River for use in central Florida. Other ideas floated (please forgive the pun) include desalination plants along the coasts. The book Mirage: Florida and the vanishing water of the Eastern U.S. (2007) by Cynthia Barnett is referenced as a must read for these issues. Littlepage points out that oil (and natural gas) found offshore would not be free - neither should be our water.

I have the book, Mirage, and am in the process of reading it (along with numerous other books). I am concerned about the water issues in Florida both as an environmental scientist and as a resident. Water conservation can only go so far if the largest users are not held accountable. I will definitely follow the case of the proposed water withdrawal from the St. Johns River (and will expect you to be aware of it, as well).