Thanks to Lyric Sloan for a WTXL TV report from the Florida Senate Rules Committee Tuesday.

Environmental advocates are pushing back, warning the plan could introduce contaminants and fails to address what John Quarterman, Suwannee Riverkeeper, calls the root cause of declining river flows: over-pumping from the aquifer.

FL SB 7034 would send treated Jacksonville wastewater into the Suwannee Basin –WTXL 2026-03-03

“It’s a risky project,” Quarterman said. “There’s no evidence that it takes out PFAs for other chemicals or drugs, pharmaceuticals, and right now that plant is under a consent order for exceeding all sorts of limits.”

Quarterman and other opponents argue Jacksonville should instead reduce its groundwater withdrawals or pursue alternative water sources, such as the St. Johns River or desalination.

Keep calling your Florida statehouse members, SRWMD, etc. For who and how, see:

https://wwals.net/?p=69583

And there’s a petition you can sign: https://c.org/8CgGBpLv7r

If you want assistance with how to craft a comment, come to the WWALS Workshop,
5-6:30 PM, Wednesday, March 18, 2026,
at the Live Oak Public Library, 1848 Ohio Ave S, Live Oak, FL 32064.

https://wwals.net/?p=69575

And don’t forget SRWMD’s own public meeting,
6-8 PM, Thursday, March 19, 2026,
at SRWMD HQ 9225 County Road 49, Live Oak FL 32060.

https://wwals.net/?p=69504

Lyric Sloan, WTXL TV, 7:42 PM, Mar 03, 2026, Florida Senate Bill would send treated Jacksonville wastewater into the Suwannee River Basin: SB 7034 would pipe treated Jacksonville wastewater into the Suwannee River Basin to stabilize river flows, but critics warn of contamination risks, while supporters believe it could help agriculture,

DOWNTOWN TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — A proposed Florida Senate Bill would allow treated wastewater from Jacksonville to be piped into the Suwannee River Basin in an effort to stabilize water flows in the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers.

Channel 27 reporter Lyric Sloan, 2026-03-03 –jsq for WWALS

Senate Bill 7034, part of the Water First North Florida project, would ratify a plan supporters say is necessary to protect river levels, meet minimum flow requirements, and support agriculture and the regional economy.

SB 7034 passed the Senate Rules Committee unanimously Tuesday, and it was in the full Senate today, where it was also expected to pass.

The story continues:

The bill would also aim to shield the local aquifer from stricter pumping restrictions.

Supporters of the bill say the project is crucial to sustaining the livelihoods of local farmers and the broader regional economy.

The story quotes one of several farmers who spoke, saying they would have to decrease underground water withdrawals by 30% without this measure. They didn’t say anything about Jacksonville should decrease its water withdrawals, even though JAX withdraws by far more than any other entity in north Florida.

Farmer Brooks Garland, 2026-03-03 –Lyric Sloan for WTXL

See the Florida Channel video of the Florida Senate Rules Committee on March 3, 2026.

https://thefloridachannel.org/videos/3-3-26-senate-committee-on-rules/

Senators Jennifer Bradley and Ana Maria Rodriguez, 2026-03-03 –Lyric Sloan for WTXL

At 02:31:00 they took up item 20, SB 7034, and ended up with Yeas 21 Nays 0.

Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, Rum 128, 2026-03-03 –Lyric Sloan for WTXL

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

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