Bill > H7003

This bill revises various provisions of Florida law related to water resources, aiming to improve water management and protection across the state. Key changes include clarifying the definition of "water resource development" to encompass assistance to both public and private water utilities, and strengthening requirements for implementing strategies to recover or prevent water bodies from falling below established minimum flows and levels, ensuring these strategies are integrated into regional water supply plans and do not solely rely on water shortage restrictions. The bill also establishes the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI) as a formal interagency agreement between state agencies and water management districts to create a unified process for addressing current and long-term water supply needs in a specific region, promoting consistent rules and a single hydrologic model for water resource management. It further modifies provisions for the South Florida Water Management District's role as a local sponsor for water projects, clarifies the designation of preferred water supply sources, and revises criteria for competing water use permit applications to prioritize uses where alternative water supplies are not technically or financially feasible. Additionally, the bill encourages public-private partnerships for water storage and quality improvements on private agricultural lands, updates the Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program to align with basin management action plans and total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), and creates new provisions for the protection of Priority Florida Springs, including the development of recovery strategies, water quality protection plans, and agricultural best management practices. Finally, it establishes a specific surface water classification for treated potable water supply and revises requirements for regional water supply planning and water resource development work programs to ensure sufficient water availability and avoid competition.