SJRWMD cost-share program provides support to regional projects

PALATKA — The St. Johns River Water Management District Governing Board approved $20.5 million in funding for cost-share projects for fiscal year 2022–2023 as part of the Districtwide and Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) and Innovative cost-share programs. These projects all support one or more of the District’s core missions: water supply, water quality, flood protection and natural systems.

Twenty-five projects were approved for funding, including 23 that directly support Gov. DeSantis’ Executive Order 19-12 “Achieving More Now for Florida’s Environment” that focuses, in part, on reducing the flow of nutrients to waterways and developing alternative water supplies.

District cost-share funding for water resource protection and restoration projects helps local governments make progress in preserving, restoring and enhancing the Floridan aquifer system, which is where more than 90 percent of Florida’s drinking water comes from. Cost-share projects also benefit the St. Johns River, Indian River Lagoon and other waterways and Outstanding Florida Springs.

The Board also approved sending a list of five springs restoration projects benefitting Outstanding Florida Springs, including Silver and Volusia Blue, to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for funding consideration, along with 11 alternative water supply projects also to be evaluated for DEP funding.

Five of the funded projects are in Water Atlas-sponsored areas:

1. Orange County Wekiwa Springs Septic Tank Retrofit Project - Phase 3
2. Orange County Utilities Year 2 Water Conservation Through WWNP with Advanced Targeting
3. Seminole County Toilet Rebate Program Phase 2
4. Oak Hill 200 LLC Rosala West Water Conseravtion
5. Mount Dora Wastewater Treatment Facility #1 Improvements

For information about District cost-share programs, visit www.sjrwmd.com/localgovernments/funding.

For a full list of projects, click here.