Water Awareness Campaign Overview

Water is vital to the economic and ecological health of the entire state of Florida and to the well-being of the citizens who live in its 67 counties. North Florida holds a key position in the state with a relatively intact hydrogeological system. The 30-county region protects the Floridan Aquifer, the largest magnitude of fresh water springs in the world, and the interconnected riverine, wetland and coastal water systems.

The economic and ecological value of this vast water system cannot be overestimated. However, the legislative, administrative and consumer safeguards to protect this resource are not adequate. Why is the water system of North Florida in danger of being misused, degraded, and destroyed? The answer is deceptively simple. We lack the necessary water protection because we, the people, have yet to command it. We currently lack the awareness and civic muscle necessary to demand best water use practices and command successful legislation.

Across the southeast, demographic pressures, exacerbated by drought, have pushed water issues to the front pages of newspapers and the forefront of public concern. Metro areas in Central Florida and Atlanta, looking for quick access to additional water for growing populations, are eyeing North Florida’s water resources from the Apalachicola River in the west to the St. Johns River in the east. North Florida counties with small populations, comparatively little political power, and a perceived abundance of water are struggling to conserve the hydrogeological systems within their boundaries. Scientific knowledge of North Florida’s water systems has increased dramatically over the last twenty years and sufficient data are available to establish the protections they deserve. Globally, too, new water-conservation techniques are leading some countries down more sustainable paths. But too often, water policy has come down to political power and parochialism rather than good science and best practices.

The importance of these hydrogeological systems for the future of Florida’s ecology and economy makes it imperative that North Florida act as one region to work toward a sustainable water policy. The Florida’s Eden Water Awareness Campaign provides a multi-faceted plan for increasing public awareness and developing the civic muscle needed to create sustainable water policies, pass them at every level of government, and put them into action.

The Water Awareness Campaign works in six action areas:

1. Public Outreach and Education

2. Regional Cooperation and Organizational Networking

3. Environmental Standards

4. Economic Development

5. Educational Curricula for Schools

6. Legislative Action

PO Box 1149 Gainesville FL 32602-1149