Letter against WFNF to SRWMD –Suwannee County Commission 2026-03-17

“Hubris.” That’s what the Suwannee County Commission is going to call SRWMD’s WFNF project to pipe treated wastewater into the Suwannee Basin.

Hubris is excessive pride or self-confidence: arrogance.

The Titanic is a classic example: the unsinkable ship went down.

The Suwannee County Commissioners meet at 5:30 PM, tomorrow, Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at 218 Parshley Street Southwest, Live Oak, Florida, 32064.

Letter against WFNF, to SRWMD: Hubris –Suwannee County Commission, 5:30 PM 2026-03-17

Here’s the text of the letter, from page 75 of the agenda packet:

Suwannee County
Board of County Commissioners
224 Pine Avenue, 2^nd Floor, Live Oak, Florida 32064
Franklin White, Chairman.
March 17, 2025[sic]
Hugh Thomas
Executive Director
Suwannee River Water Management District
9225 CR 49
Live Oak, Florida 32060
Re: Suwannee County’s Objection to Water First North Florida Project
Dear Mr. Thomas,
As a unanimous board we are writing to you — individually, as County Commissioners and on behalf of all the citizens of Suwannee County—to voice our strong objection to proceeding with the Water First North Florida Project.

We agree that the Floridan Aquifer needs to be able to provide adequate water for our citizens, farmers and tourists. We all recognize that the aquifer sustains the people and economy of North Florida and beyond.

Water First North Florida proposes to transfer 40 million gallons of “treated” wastewater from Jacksonville into the aquifer. You assert that this method has been “proven” at the Sweetwater Wetlands Project and Black Creek Water Resource Development. That is simply not true as both of those projects use wetlands to cleanse run off — not chemically “treated” water. To be blunt, those projects are not receiving sewer water like you are planning to use for the Water First North Florida Project. Even if they were similar projects, the difference in scale compared to Water First North Florida negates any reasonable comparison.

When your representative was asked questions about the safety of the “treated” water, he kept saying he was not a scientist so he could not answer any questions, but we should simply trust that the water will be safe. That is not a risk North Florida can afford to take.

Once the spigot is turned on, it is impossible to predict the consequences which will impact literally every person in the area. Our citizens should not suffer the consequences of such hubris.

Sincerely,
Don Hale, District 1
Clyde Flemming, District 2
Travis Land, District 3
Leo Mobley, District 4
Franklin White, District 5
Phone: 386-364-3400 www.suwanneecountyfl.gov Fax: 386-362-1032

Suwannee County’s Objection to Water First North Florida Project, 2026-03-17 –Suwannee County Board of County Commissioners
PDF

The County Attorney’s Executive Summary is also interesting.

Executive Summary –Suwannee County Attorney
PDF

Images of the main agenda pages are below for reference.

Don’t forget the other WFNF meetings this week:

Wednesday, 2026-03-18, 10 AM Dozen Florida Counties Task Force Resolution against WFNF and for Desalination 2026-03-18.
Online
https://wwals.net/?p=69639
Wednesday, 2026-03-18, 5-6:30 PM
Live Oak Public Library, 1848 Ohio Ave S, Live Oak, FL 32064
Crafting Effective Public Comments, a WWALS Workshop
https://wwals.net/?p=69575
Thursday, 2026-03-19, 6-8 PM
SRWMD WFNF Open House
UF-IFAS N FL REC — Suwannee Valley, 8202 County Road 417, Live Oak, FL, 32060
https://wwals.net/?p=69644
Wednesday, 2026-03-25, 6-7 PM
WFNF Update, a WWALS Webinar, mostly interactive
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/zDdB5oQARxeUvH8U7ypW4A

-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/