Call to Action

Dear Governor Crist and Governing Board Members:

I am contacting you to express my concerns about the proposed Alternative Water Supply (AWS) projects involving the St. Johns River and the Ocklawaha River. I urge you to oppose any proposals to withdrawal water from the St. Johns or Ocklawaha at this time.

Instead, I ask that you to take the following actions:

> If Alternative Water Supply projects are determined to be necessary, require counties to pursue water conservation, more sustainable building and planning practices, and desalinization projects first before the St. Johns and Ocklawaha are even considered. > Prioritize, expand, and emphasize water conservation programs as a means to address water supply issues. Residents within the St. Johns River watershed use water at an unsustainable rate – more than 150 gallons/day/per person. We can do much better with your leadership. Support a per capita goal of 100 gallons/day by 2013. > Require further studies be completed that are comprehensive, independently reviewed and that carefully consider every possible variable and conceivable impact to these river systems. Once these AWS projects were approved, it would be extremely difficult to reverse course and address any unanticipated adverse impacts that may occur. We cannot afford to take that chance. The St. Johns River is one of Florida’s greatest natural resources, critical to the health of our environment, economy and our quality of life. Unfortunately, the St. Johns is already a sick river. Because of tidal influences and the slow flow of our river, the St. Johns River does not efficiently flush pollutants and sediments. Removing the amount of water that is being proposed will only potentially worsen existing pollution problems.

Please, don’t take a chance on harming this precious and unique asset. Oppose the currently proposed surface water withdrawals of up to 155 MGD from the St. Johns River and 108 MGD from the Ocklawaha River. Instead, support aggressive water conservation programs, desalinization and planning efforts that will lead to a more sustainable future for the St. Johns River and the state of Florida.