Regional Water Initiative at a standstill as Clermont goes it alone

Lake County officials say an effort to find an alternative water supply is stalled because Clermont city officials are balking at joining a regional water alliance.

The South Lake Regional Water Initiative, which includes the cities of Clermont, Groveland, Minneola, Mascotte, Montverde, the South Lake Chamber of Commerce, a private utility company and the county, has been working with the Central Florida Water Initiative for the past six years to find an alternative water supply.

Over the years the group has gotten closer to solidifying an alternative water source, which they say will meet some, but not all, of the future water needs.

Water experts project by 2035 there will be a need for an additional 12 to 15 million gallons of water per day and the Lower Floridan cannot fill that gap.