The most populous county participating in many Suwannee Basin forums, Alachua County has passed a resolution opposing Water First North Florida (WFNF) and proposing alternatives. Alachua is also the second county partly in the St. Johns Basin, after Baker County.

Before their unanimous vote, the Alachua County Commissioners discussed whether this resolution adequately supported the resolution by the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council (NCFRPC), which represents all twelve counties in the Suwannee River Water Management District.

Well, the Alachua County resolution doesn’t say anything about desalination, nor anything else for Jacksonville to reduce its groundwater withdrawals. It recommends limiting irrigation to only one day a week, apparently only for Alachua County.

Still, the 800-pound gorilla has spoken, and its last recommendation is:

7) evaluate alternatives to the Water First North Florida Project along with filtration and siting strategies for beneficial re-use of reclaimed water from Jacksonville.

Alachua County resolution against WFNF 2026-06-09, Stacie Greco, landscape irrigation

For much more about WFNF, see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

11:30 AM, Tuesday, June 9, 2026, Alachua County BOCC Meeting Agenda:

5. Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers Implementation Strategy/Water First North Florida Project Resolution – 26-00395

Agenda Item Name: Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers Implementation Strategy/Water First North Florida Project Resolution, 2026-06-09 –Alachua County BOCC
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This item is in Alachua County’s own video at 2:57:02.

Stacie Greco, 2026-06-09 –Alachua County BOCC

Stacie Greco, EPD Water Resources Program Manager, presented slides about Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers implementation Strategy/Water First North Florida Project, concluding with a staff request for the Commissioners to approve the resolution.

The Resolution

Here is the resolution.

RESOLUTION 26-XX

A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF ALACHUA COUNTY, FLORIDA TO RECOMMEND SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES TO RESTORE FLOW TO THE LOWER SANTA FE AND ICHETUCKNEE RIVERS AND SPRINGS WHEREAS, the 2025 North Florida Regional Water Supply Plan (NFRWSP) outlines the need for an additional 135 million gallons of water a day to accommodate one million new residents by 2045; and

WHEREAS, Alachua County recognizes the importance of restoring flows to the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers and Priority Springs (LSFIR); and

WHEREAS, the 2025 Implementation Strategy for the LSFIR is dependent on successful implementation of the Water First North Florida project to achieve recovery as currently adopted; and

WHEREAS, the public has widely communicated a multitude of concerns with the Water First North Florida Project, including water quality, cost, and schedule; and

WHEREAS, further exploration of the Water First North Florida Project should focus on documenting the level of pre-treatment necessary to safely recharge the aquifer to reassure the public; and

WHEREAS the LSFIR is already in recovery and needs restoration now, and the Water First North Florida Project, if successfully implemented, would not provide relief to the region until 2040 at the earliest; and

WHEREAS, reducing future and current groundwater demand through conservation is the most cost-effective and immediate approach for meeting the MFLs now and in the future; and

WHEREAS, landscape irrigation accounts for up to 60% of residential water use and the trend of permanent landscape irrigation in new construction has greatly increased annual water use over time; and

WHEREAS, Alachua County has committed significant staff time and resources to implement strong landscape irrigation design standards since 2016; and

WHEREAS, the Water Management Districts should reconsider the comments and recommendations provided by Alachua County throughout the LSFIR update outlined below; and

Draft Resolution –RESOLUTION 26-XX: A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF ALACHUA COUNTY, FLORIDA, 2026-06-09, TO RECOMMEND SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES TO RESTORE FLOW TO THE LOWER SANTA FE AND ICHETUCKNEE RIVERS AND SPRINGS –Alachua County BOCC
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WHEREAS, current water use can be reduced by limiting irrigation to one day a week year-round; and

WHEREAS, future water needs can be greatly reduced by prohibiting permanent landscape irrigation for new construction in the North Florida Regional Water Supply Planning Area where Minimum Flows and Levels (MFL) are not being met; and

WHEREAS, landscape irrigation wells must be prohibited within the NFWSP area when potable or reclaimed water is available so utilities can fully implement tiered water pricing and water budgets to decrease existing and future discretionary water use; and

WHEREAS, the LSFIR MEL indicates that groundwater has been over-allocated by current consumptive use permits,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED TY THE ALACHUA COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF ALACHUA COUNTY, FLORIDA:

Alachua County requests that the Water Management Districts’ implement the following to restore flow to the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers and Priority Springs (LSFIR):

1. restore provisions included in the July 2024 version of the LSFIR MFL Regulatory Strategy which prohibited new landscape irrigation wells when potable water is available and required existing users to offset a proportionate share of their impact,
2. exercise the WMD’s authority to curtail current permits as outlined in permit conditions,
3. water conservation plans shall be updated to include meaningful, measurable, and enforceable water conservation strategies that exceed current efforts,
4. implement once a week year-round irrigation restrictions or conduct a rule change to allow local governments to do such,
5. re-evaluate the definitions of beneficial use and public interest in reviewing permit allocations,
6. since the LSFIR MFL remains unmet, a reservation for the Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers should be considered, and
7. evaluate alternatives to the Water First North Florida Project along with filtration and siting strategies for beneficial re-use of reclaimed water from Jacksonville.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED TY THE ALACHUA COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF ALACHUA COUNTY, FLORIDA:… 2026-06-09 –Alachua County BOCC
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DULY PROCLAIMED, this day of 2026

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF
ALACHUA COUNTY, FLORIDA By:
Ken Cornell, Chair
Board of County Commissioner

ATTEST:
J.K. “JES” Irby, Esq., Clerk Alachua County Attorney’s Office (SEAL)

DULY PROCLAIMED…. 2026-06-09 –Alachua County BOCC
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Thank you, Alachua County Commissioners, for passing this resolution unanimously.

WFNF Resolution 2026-06-09 –Alachua County BOCC

The Slides

Here are Stacie Greco’s slides.

Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers implementation Strategy/Water First North Florida Project, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco, EPD, Water Resources Program Manager to Alachua County BOCC
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Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers and Springs MFL, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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MFL Implementation Strategy, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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Senate Bill 64 (2021), 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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Water First North Florida, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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Pilot project for contaminant removal and siting study, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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Alternative Strategies, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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Reducing Current and Future Groundwater Demand, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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Future growth is currently projected at 135 MGD by 2045, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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Extreme Water Shortage Update, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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Current water conservation education, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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Staff Recommendation to Approve Resolution, 2026-06-09 –Stacie Greco to Alachua County BOCC
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See also WFNF not done yet –Florida Alligator 2026-06-14.

https://wwals.net/?p=70522

 -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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