There is nothing about Water First North Florida (WFNF) on the Alachua County BOCC agenda for this morning, May 5, 2026, at 10 AM, County Administration Building – Grace Knight Conference Room 12 SE 1 Street, 2nd Floor, Gainesville, FL 32601.

But there is Public Comment near the end. And you can watch on facebook, YouTube, or Alachua County’s Video on Demand.

For much more about WFNF, see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

Here is what I sent the Alachua BOCC on April 20, 2026.

The promoters bear the burden of proof –WWALS to Alachua BOCC, 2026-04-20

Re: Water First North Florida (WFNF)

Dear Chair Cornell and Alachua County BOCC,

First I would like to thank you all for your previous work against a development on top of Mill Creek Sink, against a phosphate mine in Union and Bradford Counties, and against the Sabal Trail natural gas pipeline.

Now your assistance would be greatly valued against the proposed pipeline project? for treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee River Basin: Water First North Florida (WFNF).

As I am sure you are aware, when the Middle and Lower Suwannee River and Withlacoochee River Task Force passed a resolution against WFNF and for seawater desalination on March 18, 2026, Commissioner Alford signed on behalf of Alachua County. https://wwals.net/?p=69639 As you also know, she also signed a similar resolution as chair of the Task Force’s parent body, the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council (NCFRPC), on March 26. https://wwals.net/?p=69804

So far, Madison, Hamilton, Columbia, Baker, and Suwannee Counties plus the Town of Branford have passed letters or resolutions against WFNF, and Union and Gilchrist Counties have WFNF on their agenda for today. There is a collection here: https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf/#govbod

I sent a summary of the WFNF situation to the Suwannee River Water Management District Governing Board for their April 14, 2026, meeting; a copy is attached. https://wwals.net/?p=70046

The key part, I think is this:

But extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. It is SRWMD (and SJRWMD and JEA) that is proposing this huge, complex, and expensive project. The promoters bear the burden of proof.

There are two real problems:

1. Lower flows and levels in springs, rivers, and the Floridan Aquifer in the Suwannee River Basin, and
2. SB 64 requires wastewater plants such as JEA’s Buckman plant to cease outflowing into rivers starting in 2032.

Only the first of these is a problem for the Suwannee River Basin, but both problems have much better solutions than WFNF; see the attached letter.

Each local government that passes a resolution against WFNF hastens the day when that project will be withdrawn and better solutions will be implemented.

I look forward to a resolution against WFNF from the most populous county in the Suwannee River Basin; a county which is in both the Suwannee and St. Johns River Water Management Districts: Alachua County.

Thanks for your consideration.

John S. Quarterman, Suwannee Riverkeeper and Executive Director

Attachment: Letter from WWALS to SRWMD of April 13, 2026

WFNF, 2026-04-20 –WWALS to Alachua County BOCC
PDF

You’ve already seen the WWALS letters to SRWMD and SJRWMD.

https://wwals.net/?p=70046

Map: County Commissioner Districts, 2026-05-05 –Alachua County
PDF

Alachua County BOCC, 2026-05-05 –Alachua County

 -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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