Category Archives: Aquifer

The Floridan Aquifer is our main drinking water source under our entire WWALS watershed, east to south Carolina, west through Alabama to Mississippi, and under all of Florida.

Videos: Public Hearing about Datacenter Ordinance –Irwin County Board of Commissioners 2026-03-17

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Here are WWALS videos of the first Irwin County Commission Public Hearing about a Data Center Ordinance, on March 17, 2026.

The next Public Hearing will be March 30, 2026 at 5:45p.m in the Irwin County Courthouse, located at 301 South Irwin Avenue, Ocilla, Georgia.

The third and last Public Hearing will be April 6, 2026, before the Irwin County Commission meeting, presumably also at 5:45 PM and at the Courthouse.

[Videos: Public Hearing about Datacenter Ordinance --Irwin County BOCC, 2026-03-17]
Videos: Public Hearing about Datacenter Ordinance –Irwin County BOCC, 2026-03-17

Among the many good points brought up by citizens at the March 17 Public Hearing were the need for much more due diligence, tuning the ordinance to prevent specific harms, enforcement of the ordinance, as well as specific concerns of cost of wells, water levels, water quality, vegetative buffers, waste disposal, air quality, noise levels, wildlife, electric power, property values, agriculture, the Alapaha River, and limits on the size of any datacenters.

Despite a persistent rumor, the Irwin County Commission definitely did not vote on the previous datacenter application, because the applicant withdrew the application, so there was nothing to vote on.

See also Continue reading →

Madison County calls for a moratorium on WFNF 2026-03-25

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Update 2026-03-26: “Good afternoon! During their regular meeting last night, the Madison County Board of County Commissioners approved the attached Resolution to express their opposition to the Water First North Florida pipeline project. We appreciate your service to rural communities and your continued support of Madison County.” —Madison County Manager Sherilyn Pickels

Update 2026-03-25: NAQA’A Desalination Plant in Umm Al Quwain, U.A.E. 2019-07-09.

On its agenda for tomorrow evening, Madison County will call for a moratorium on Water First North Florida (WFNF), the plan to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee River Basin.

For much more about WFNF, see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

[Madison County calls for a moratorium on Water First North Florida, 2026-03-25]
Madison County calls for a moratorium on Water First North Florida, 2026-03-25

Received from Rick Davis this afternoon, “Here is a link for the Resolution from Madison County to be considered at our March 25 Commission meeting at 6pm.”

https://madisoncountyfl.community.diligentoneplatform.com/document/378b10b9-874b-4072-b297-088c2e4a46e2

RESOLUTION NO. 2026-03-25

A RESOLUTION OF THE MADISON COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN MADISON, FLORIDA, OPPOSING THE FIRST NORTH FLORIDA (WENF) PIPELINE PROJECT AS CURRENTLY PROPOSED; REQUESTING AN IMMEDIATE MORATORIUM PENDING INDEPENDENT STUDY; AND DIRECTING TRANSMITTAL TO STATE OFFICIALS

WHEREAS, Continue reading →

Suggested additional sections for Irwin County datacenter ordinance –WWALS 2026-03-17

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This is what I sent to Irwin County before their Public Hearing on a draft datacenter ordinance.

As you may recall, the datacenter proposed near Irwinville and the Alapaha River was withdrawn by applicant at the Irwin County Commission meeting on March 2, so there was nothing for the Commissioners to vote on at that time. But they are prudently working up a datacenter ordinance.

For more about datacenters, see:

https://wwals.net/issues/datacenters/

[Suggested additional sections for Irwin County datacenter ordinance, by WWALS 2026-03-17]
Suggested additional sections for Irwin County datacenter ordinance, by WWALS 2026-03-17

Dear Irwin County,

Please permit me to compliment you on the draft data center ordinance.
I especially like that it permits only closed loop cooling systems.

May I suggest that it could benefit by some additional sections, perhaps like those in the attached model ordinance.
Specifically sections like those on: Continue reading →

Pictures: SRWMD WFNF Open House, UF IFAS, Live Oak, FL 2026-03-19

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Update 2026-03-25: NAQA’A Desalination Plant in Umm Al Quwain, U.A.E. 2019-07-09.

Many people were disappointed in the informational tables about Water First North Florida (WFNF), the plan to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee River Basin.

For much more about WFNF, see

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

[Pictures: SRWMD WFNF, Open House, UF IFAS, Live Oak, FL, Thursday, March 19, 2026]
Pictures: SRWMD WFNF, Open House, UF IFAS, Live Oak, FL, Thursday, March 19, 2026

WCTV’s subhead is incorrect about the Community Open House by SRWMD, 6-8 PM, Thursday, March 19, 2026, at UF-IFAS in Live Oak, Florida:

“This project wouldn’t happen until 2039”

According to their own schedule, many parts of WFNF are already happening, such as the three-year consultant wetland pilot study and siting study funded by SJRWMD in November 2025. The first pipes would start going in in 2028: “Transmission Mains to Wetland.” Pipes to recharge facilities, i.e., those in the Suwannee Basin, would start going in in 2032. It’s only the final complete turn on of the entire project that might not start until 2039. Continue reading →

NCFRPC against WFNF 2026-03-26

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Update 2026-03-26: Yes, they passed the resolution.

The NCFRPC will take up its own resolution against the WFNF project to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee Basin.

For all the other local and regional government resolutions and letters and more, see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

[NCFRPC against WFNF, Thursday, March 26, 2026, After its Task Force, Against treated wastewater from JAX]
NCFRPC against WFNF, Thursday, March 26, 2026, After its Task Force, Against treated wastewater from JAX

There will be a meeting of the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council on March 26, 2026. The meeting will be held as a hybrid meeting in-person at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites, Suwannee Room, 213 Southwest Commerce Boulevard, Lake City, Florida, and via Communications Media Technology at 7:00 p.m.

To join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone:

https://meet.goto.com/193371933

DIAL IN NUMBER: Toll Free: 1.866.899.4679

ACCESS CODE: 193 371 933

MEETING STARTS AT 7:00 P.M.

Please email koons@ncfrpc.org by March 25, 2026 to let us know if you will be attending the meeting in-person or via communications media technology. THANK YOU.

Of particular interest:

VIII. A. Executive Committee –

1. Water First North Florida Aquifer Recharge Project Resolution No. 2026-14

…

VIII. C. Middle and Lower Suwannee River and Withlacoochee River Task Force Update

Before we get to that, in the Minutes from January 26, 2026:

PUBLIC COMMENTS –

Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson discussed the Water First North Florida Project Continue reading →

Opposition to the Water First North Florida Project –Columbia County BOCC 2026-03-05

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Here is the letter against WFNF and for sustainable water solutions that Columbia County approved on March 5, 2026.

For much more about WFNF, including all the other local government letters and resolutions, see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

[Opposition to Water First North Florida by Columbia County BOCC, March 5, 2026]
Opposition to Water First North Florida by Columbia County BOCC, March 5, 2026

District No. 1 – Kevin Parnell
District No. 2 – Rocky Ford
District No. 3 – Robby Hollingsworth
District No. 4 – Everett Phillips
District No. 5 – Tim Murphy

Board OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS @ COLUMBIA COUNTY

March 5, 2026

Suwannee River Water Management District
9225 CR 49
Live Oak, Florida 32060

Subject: Opposition to the Water First North Florida Project Continue reading →

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

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TV reported on the WWALS Workshop on Crafting Public Comments, yesterday at the Live Oak Public Library.

Don Hale came to speak about the resolution against WFNF that the dozen-county Task Force had passed earlier that same day, and the letter the Suwannee County BOCC had passed the previous evening.

For much more about WFNF, see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

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

SUWANNEE COUNTY, Fla. (WCTV)—Residents are weighing in on a North Florida water project that could impact the Suwannee River.

The “Water First North Florida Project” will be discussed at a public open house on Thursday, with officials saying it could help meet water demand and restore the river and aquifer.

Community members gathered Continue reading →

WFNF Update, an interactive WWALS Webinar 2026-03-25

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A more interactive than usual WWALS Webinar update about what happened in the previous week’s meetings on Water First North Florida (WFNF), the plan to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee River Basin.

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

Hailey Hall will give a brief rundown.

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman will expand, especially on modern desalination examples.

Then we will keep it casual and conversational. We will field and pose questions, and “popcorn share”. We will call on various people if they are present, and others can chime in.

When: 6 PM, Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Put In: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/zDdB5oQARxeUvH8U7ypW4A

[WFNF Update, an interactive WWALS Webinar, Online by zoom, 6 PM, Wednesday, March 25, 2026]
WFNF Update, an interactive WWALS Webinar, Online by zoom, 6 PM, Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Continue reading →

Madison County against WFNF 2026-02-27

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Madison County was the first elected body to oppose #WFNF.

This is the letter posted by Madison County Commissioner Donnie Waldrep Sr. on February 27, 2026.

For all such letters and resolutions and more, see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

[Madison County against Water First North Florida 2026-02-27, #WFNF: JAX treated wastewater into Suwannee Basin]
Madison County against Water First North Florida 2026-02-27, #WFNF: JAX treated wastewater into Suwannee Basin

Suwannee River Water Management District
9225 CR 49
Live Oak, Florida 32060

Subject: Opposition to the Water First North Florida Project

To Whom It May Concern,

The Madison Board of County Commissioners respectfully submits this letter to express our formal opposition to the proposed Water First North Florida project. After reviewing available project materials, we believe the project poses potential risks to the longterm welfare of our county and the surrounding region.

Key concerns include: Continue reading →

Town of Branford Resolution against WFNF 2026-03-01

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Branford is at the mouth of the Santa Fe River, and downstream of the Ichetucknee River, both of which Water First North Florida (#WFNF) purport to help.

For more about WFNF, including the other local and regional government opposition, see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

[Town of Branford, Resolution against WFNF 2026-03-01, Water First North Florida, JAX treated wastewater]
Town of Branford, Resolution against WFNF 2026-03-01, Water First North Florida, JAX treated wastewater

RESOLUTION NO. 2026-003

A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF BRANFORD, FLORIDA, OPPOSING THE FIRST NORTH FLORIDA (WENF) PIPELINE PROJECT AS CURRENTLY PROPOSED; REQUESTING AN IMMEDIATE MORATORIUM PENDING INDEPENDENT STUDY; AND DIRECTING TRANSMITTAL TO STATE OFFICIALS

WHEREAS, the St. Johns River Water Management District and the Suwannee River Water Management District approved elements of the Water First North Florida (WFNF) project in November 2025, which includes a proposed approximately 90-mile pipeline to transport highly treated reclaimed water from facilities in the Jacksonville metropolitan area to wetlands within the Suwannee River Basin for purposes of aquifer recharge; and

WHEREAS, the project is estimated to cost between $1.0 and $1.1 billion, including approximately $400 million in funding from JEA, and proposes to recharge the Floridan Aquifer with more than 40 million gallons per day; and Continue reading →