News Stories about WWALS 2026.
For the rest see News.

• 2026-04-23: Craig Pittman, Florida Phoenix, April 23, 2026, Way down upon this Florida river, pollution and water withdrawals spell double trouble
  American Rivers just named the famed Suwannee River as one of the 10 most endangered in the U.S. ( WWALS blog post)

  
  Way down upon this Florida river, pollution and water withdrawals spell double trouble, –Craig Pittman, 2026-04-23

  A wide-ranging story, which includes springs, the Nutrien phosphate mine, Stephen C. Foster, Ray Charles, Pilgrim’s Pride, WFNF, dairy farms, and Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs).

  For much more about WFNF, see

  https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

  First, some pullquotes:

  Even blunter was John S. Quarterman, who’s been the Suwannee Riverkeeper for a decade. He told me, “It certainly IS endangered.”

  Sheesh! Having your state’s most famous river classified as endangered is like having the governor’s limo towed because it’s a clunker. It reflects badly on all of us — especially whoever sits in the driver’s seat.

  …

• 2026-04-22: Andrea Snody, News4JAX, April 22, 2026, Jacksonville wastewater plan could reshape North Florida water supply (WWALS blog post)

  
  Andrea Snody, News4JAX, 2026-04-22 –News4JAX

  SUWANNEE COUNTY, Fla. — A proposed water treatment plan could send millions of gallons of treated wastewater from Jacksonville into North Florida rivers — raising both hope and concern among residents, environmental advocates and water management leaders.

  Supporters say the project is a necessary solution to growing water demands driven by an ongoing drought.

  Environmental advocates, however, are raising questions about water quality and the potential impact on communities that depend on those waterways for drinking water and recreation.

  …

  Critics call for transparency

  Not everyone is convinced the plan is without risk.

  John Quarterman, Suwannee Riverkeeper and executive director of the organization, says the economic and environmental stakes are too high to move forward without full transparency.

  
  Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, 2026-04-22 –News4JAX

  “The biggest industry in Florida is tourism. In the Suwannee Basin, the biggest place people go for tourism is the springs and rivers. If those are damaged, it’s a major effect on the economy,” Quarterman said. “If there actually are contaminants in that wastewater that then comes back up in people’s drinking water wells or affects the wetlands or springs or rivers, that’s a big problem for people, for the wildlife.”

• 2026-03-18: Julia Miller, WCTV, March 18, 2026, Residents raise concerns over Water First North Florida project impacting Suwannee River: Residents held a discussion ahead of the Water First North Florida Project open house on Thursday, WWALS blog post,

  
  Residents raise concerns over WFNF and Suwannee River –WCTV 2026-03-18

  …

  “Our job is to leave things better than the way we found them, and I just have to have assurance that’s what we’re doing,” Suwannee County commissioner Don Hale said.

  …

  Suwannee County Commissioner Don Hale says he still doesn’t have enough information.

  “I guess I just need more education on how this would work, and you know, assurance that it’s not going to affect future, you know, citizens of Florida and our community.”

  But according to Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, he says it’s a project to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee River basin. He says while they’re trying to address growing water demand…there need to be other options than using the Suwannee River.

  “The obvious solution, which apparently they don’t want to do because they don’t like the cost, build a pipe to run the brine way offshore and way deep into the sea. Now, I don’t know how much that would cost, a billion dollars, because that’s the price of this water first north florida project they’re proposing,” Quarterman said.

  Quarterman says the project raises concerns for many people, including cost and possible health impacts. He says there are still too many unanswered questions.

  “That’s one of the biggest problems, there’s so many things that just aren’t known yet, this thing is barrelling along,” Quarterman says. “By their optimistic scenario, they wouldn’t start sending anything through the pipe for 13 years, so how they doing such a humongous plan when they know so little?”

• 2026-03-06: Valdosta Today, March 6, 2026, Paddle with the Mayor & Chairman on the Withlacoochee (see also WWALS PR),

  
  Chairman, Mayor, City Manager on Deloach Ramp, 2023-03-04, 11:13:14, –jsq for WWALS 30.8380884, -83.3701976

  HAHIRA – Join a free paddle on the Withlacoochee River with Valdosta’s Mayor and Lowndes County’s Chairman.

  Release:

  Hahira, Georgia, March 6, 2026 — Suwannee Riverkeeper invites you to paddle with Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter on the idyllic Withlacoochee River.

  …

• 2026-03-03: 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 (WWALS blog post)

  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.

• 2026-03-02: Staff Reports, Valdosta Daily Times, March 2, 2026, WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. named Leading Business of the Week,

  

  VALDOSTA — The Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce recognized WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. as its Leading Business of the Week last week.

  Founded in 2012, WWALS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to protecting and preserving the waters of the Suwannee River Basin in south Georgia and north Florida. Through water quality testing, education, advocacy, and community outings, WWALS works to ensure waterways are clean, swimmable, fishable, and drinkable, the chamber said.

  WWALS has trained more than 40 volunteer water quality testers, helped identify sewage spills, and successfully advocated for daily sewage spill reporting in Georgia. The organization also promotes outdoor recreation and tourism through its Water Trails program and by hosting the annual Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle and monthly river outings.

  “The Chamber appreciates WWALS’ commitment to environmental stewardship and community engagement,” the organization said in a press release. “We are proud to highlight their impact and thank them for helping protect one of our region’s most valuable natural resources.”

  For more information, contact (850) 290-2350 or wwalswatershed@gmail.com.

• 2026-02-19: Nobody at a Live Oak meeting liked Jacksonville wastewater into the Suwannee Basin 2026-02-05,

  A few pullquotes sum it up:

  “The entire area JEA serves uses 120 million gallons. Remember that Texas plant, one plant does 100 million gallons. There’s no reason it has to be all in one place,” said Quarterman. “It doesn’t have to take more than a dozen years to come online.”

  Around 50 people attended the town hall, with the majority of attendees being older. None of the attendees who spoke out favored the Suwannee River Water Management District’s plan to strengthen the water supply. The main concerns of the project were over where funding would come from, project logistics, and the safety behind drinking recycled water.

  “One of my biggest concerns with this project is that it’s introducing contamination that’s extremely expensive to test for, to even know it’s there, much less manage and treat,” said Hailey Hall, a groundwater monitor.

  Area resident Ed Lee expressed his dissatisfaction with the plan approved by the Suwannee River Water Management District in November 2025 to address potable water issues. “Nobody has talked anything about money,” said Ed Lee. “Today you’re talking $1 billion. What the hell do you think it’s gonna cost with the time it gets there? It’ll be $15 billion.”

  The article has more.

  
  Nobody liked Jacksonville wastewater into the Suwannee Basin at a Live Oak meeting 2026-02-05, News by WUFT 2026-02-19

  Jessica Wilkinson, WUFT, February 19, 2026, Suwannee County residents unhappy with a $1 billion dollar water supply plan,

  LIVE OAK, Fla. — Almost everyone attending a Suwannee County GOP town hall on Feb. 5 again opposed a plan to recharge the Floridan aquifer with treated Jacksonville wastewater.

  …

• 2026-01-28: Douglas Now, January 28, 2026, DNR Board to decide fate of Fargo’s Suwannee River Visitors Center at Friday meeting,

  Friday, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Board will vote whether or not to demolish the Stephen C. Foster State Park Suwannee River Visitor Center in Fargo, according to a post on the WWALS Watershed Coalition is Suwannee Riverkeeper Facebook page. The post was made by Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman.

  
  Agenda: Demolish the Stephen C. Foster State Park Suwannee River Visitor Center –GA-DNR Board 2026-01-30

  The visitor center is the big building on stilts above the Fargo boat ramp. Fargo is the second public paddling stop downstream from the Okefenokee Swamp, and the last stop in Georgia before 19 Suwannee River miles to Roline Ramp in Florida.

  …

• 2026-01-12: Valdosta Today, January 12, 2026, WWALS: Okefenokee Swamp leaks into Floridan Aquifer,

  
  Okefenokee Swamp leaks into the Floridan Aquifer, WWALS Webinar 2026-01-15, Prof. Evaristo & Rasmussen

  HAHIRA – WWALS reports that strong evidence shows the Okefenokee Swamp leaking into the Floridan Aquifer.

  Release:

  Hahira, Georgia, January 12, 2026 — For thirty years it was suspected that the Okefenokee Swamp leaks water into the groundwater from which we all drink. Now we have much stronger evidence, that the Swamp leaks not a little but a lot of water into the Floridan Aquifer.’At noon by zoom this Thursday, you can watch the UGA professors who published it explain that evidence.

  They will also mention some consequences, such as nearby water withdrawals pull more water from the Swamp into the Aquifer.

  Lead author Prof. Jaivime Evaristo will explain the isotope evidence. Prof. Todd Rasmussen will explain the water level evidence.

  See also the WWALS PR, WWALS Webinar: Okefenokee Swamp leaks into the Floridan Aquifer, peer-reviewed evidence 2026-01-15M/a>.