Tag Archives: Water First North Florida

Songs for Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest on Scott James radio 2026-08-13

Leave a reply

Last call, songwriters, tomorrow, Wednesday, August 19, 2026:

https://forms.gle/fihLNVC2xbD1SXBB6

Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman discussed the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest last Thursday at the Mayor’s day job, the radio show he owns and hosts on talk921.fm.

Songs can be about any waterbody in the 10,000-square mile Suwannee River Basin or Estuary in Georgia or Florida, including the Withlacoochee, Little, Alapaha, Alapahoochee, or Suwannee Rivers, or the Okefenokee Swamp, or any other river, creek, swamp, or sink. Plus underground waters such as the Floridan Aquifer.

Songwriters can be from anywhere; they come from as far as Tennessee and south Florida.

[Songs for Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest by August 19, on Scott James radio, Finalists play September 12, 2026]
Songs for Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest by August 19, on Scott James radio, Finalists play September 12, 2026

Here are WWALS videos from that radio show:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/2118859655696045

https://www.instagram.com/p/DcL-5a7I2nc/

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSTFinxTNQsw&si=u4CDRXlSjW5tCIl6

Once we get those last few songs from the procrastinating songwriters, the organizing committee will select Finalists.

The Finalists will play at WWALS River Revue, 5-9 PM, Saturday, September 12, 2026, at the Lowndes County 4-H Club in Lake Park, Georgia, on Long Pond.

https://wwals.net/pictures/songwriting2026

When you buy a ticket, you get to hear them along with the three judges, who will select the winners.

And you get a sit-down dinner with cash bar, Headliner Joe First, who is last year’s winner, and two speakers:

  • Amy Sharma of Science for Georgia, talking about hyper-scale AI datacenters.
  • Rick Davis, Chair of the dozen-county Florida Task Force, talking about Water First North Florida (WFNF), the currently-hibernating scheme to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into wetlands in the Suwannee Basin.

Plus a silent auction! Continue reading →

Florida Governor Candidates: Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-17

Leave a reply

Here’s what six people running for Florida Governor have to say about clean water. The other candidates did not respond.

We got a variety of answers about WFNF, desalination, potable reuse, WMDs, datacenters, and RTCW. For what these candidates wrote about those and other issues, see below.

[Florida Governor Candidates, Clean Water Questionnaire, WFNF, Datacenters, WMDs, etc. --WWALS 2026-08-17]
Florida Governor Candidates, Clean Water Questionnaire, WFNF, Datacenters, WMDs, etc. –WWALS 2026-08-17

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is conducting a Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire: #WWALSCleanWaterQuestionnaire

We already reported responses from statehouse District 9 and District 10, and also U.S. Congress Florida District 2.

For much more about Water First North Florida (WFNF), see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

If you are a candidate for state or national office in Florida this year, in the Suwannee River Basin, we sent you a questionnaire. If you didn’t get it, please let us know.

https://wwals.net/donations/contact/

Primary Election Day is tomorrow, Tuesday, August 18. Continue reading →

Florida U.S. House District 3: Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-17

1 Reply

Update 2026-08-17: Florida Governor Candidates: Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-17.

Here’s what some of those running for U.S. Congress from Florida District 3 have to say about clean water: Troy Albers and Seth Harp.

Kat Cammack (the incumbent), Georgia Hubac, Mike Klein, and Tom Wells did not respond.

FL-03 covers Hamilton, Columbia, Baker, Union, Bradford, Alachua, Gilchrist, Suwannee, (most of ) Lafayette, Dixie, Levy, Counties, and part of Marion County. That’s almost all of the Suwannee River Basin in Florida, except not Madison County.

[Florida U.S. House District 3, Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire --WWALS 2026-08-17]
Florida U.S. House District 3, Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-17

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is conducting a Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire: #WWALSCleanWaterQuestionnaire

We already reported responses from statehouse District 9 and District 10.

In FL-03 also WFNF is not popular, WMDs in their current form are problematical, hyper-scale AI datacenters are looked upon ascance, and these candidates support RTCW. For these candidates’ answers to those and other questions, see below.

For much more about Water First North Florida (WFNF), see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

If you are a candidate for state or national office in Florida this year, in the Suwannee River Basin, we sent you a questionnaire. If you didn’t get it, please let us know.

https://wwals.net/donations/contact/

Primary Election Day is tomorrow, Tuesday, August 18.

Our source for who is running is Continue reading →

Black Creek treated waste creek water pipeline broke after less than a week 2026-08-11

Leave a reply

Update 2026-08-15: It’s treated creek water, not human wastewater.

It broke four days after SJRWMD bragged about it working: the Black Creek treated waste creek water pipeline into Alligator Creek.

This is the prototype for the 60+-mile Water First North Florida (WFNF) pipeline from Jacksonville into the Suwannee River Basin.

We should trust SJRWMD and JEA to build a pipeline?

There’s an election going on. No candidate seems to want to support WFNF.

WWALS sent a clean water questionnaire to all Florida candidates for office. It also got answers on many other water topics. Some of those answers may help you choose who to vote for.

Here are the answers from Statehouse District 9:

https://wwals.net/?p=70813

And the answers from Statehouse District 10:

https://wwals.net/?p=70829

[Black Creek treated creek water pipeline broke 2026-08-11, after less than a week, Prototype for WFNF]
Black Creek treated creek water pipeline broke 2026-08-11, after less than a week, Prototype for WFNF

WCJB Staff, WCJB, August 11, 2026, Pipe burst, eroded underneath State Road 21 in Clay County, lanes blocked,

KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, Fla. (WCJB) – The Black Creek pipeline burst and eroded underneath State Road 21 between State Road 16 and Sharron Road in Clay County Tuesday morning.

Clay County Fire Rescue officials say the pumps that supply the water are secured. State Road 21 is currently down to one lane.

Fire rescue officials are at the scene and FDOT officials are mobilizing to repair the damage. Officials say there are no injuries or accidents at this time.

Continue reading →

Florida State House District 10: Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-04

Update 2026-08-17: Florida U.S. House District 3: Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-17.

Update 2026-08-05: Now with a response from Marshall Rawson, added to the responses from June by Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson and Chase Brannan, and James Hunter Batley’s response that he dropped out of the race.

Here’s what those running for Florida State Representative District 10 have to say about clean water: Chase Brannan and Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson. Marshall Rawson did not respond, and James Hunter Batley dropped out of the race.

District 10 covers Columbia, Baker, Union, and Bradford Counties, and part of Alachua County.

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is conducting a Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire: #WWALSCleanWaterQuestionnaire

We already reported responses from District 9 candidates yesterday.

In District 10 also WFNF is not popular, WMDs in their current form are problematical, hyper-scale AI datacenters are looked upon ascance, and RTCW needs more education. For these candidates’ answers to those and other questions, see below.

For much more about Water First North Florida (WFNF), see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

If you are a candidate for state or national office in Florida this year, in the Suwannee River Basin, we sent you a questionnaire. If you didn’t get it, please let us know.

https://wwals.net/donations/contact/

[Florida State House District 10, Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire, by WWALS]
Florida State House District 10, Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire, by WWALS

Early voting for the primary starts this Saturday August 8, and Election Day is Tuesday, August 18, so we will be reporting answers for more districts whether all the candidates respond or not.

Our source for who is running is the Florida Department of State Candidate Tracking System.

https://dos.elections.myflorida.com/candidates/Index.asp

As an IRS 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit, WWALS cannot support or oppose any specific candidate for office. But we can ask all candidates in a race what they think, and publish the results. Continue reading →

Florida State House District 9: Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-03

Update 2026-08-04: Florida State House District 10: Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-04.

Here’s what candidates have to say about clean water, those running for Florida State Representative District 9: Allison Tant, Jibri Knight, and Tracy Robinson.

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is conducting a Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire: #WWALSCleanWaterQuestionnaire

So far we have responses from all the candidates for this district, so that’s what we are reporting today.

If you are a candidate for state or national office in Florida this year, in the Suwannee River Basin, we sent you a questionnaire. If you didn’t get it, please let us know.

https://wwals.net/donations/contact/

[Florida State House District 9, Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire, by WWALS 2026-08-03]
Florida State House District 9, Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire, by WWALS 2026-08-03

Thus far, Water First North Florida (WFNF) does not seem popular among candidates.

https://wwals.net/issues/wnf

Nor does the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) in its current form.

Hyper-scale datacenters the candidates think at least need many constraints.

https://wwals.net/issues/datacenters

Right to Clean Water (RTCW) apparently needs more education of candidates.

https://wwals.net/issues/right-to-clean-water/

These candidates do favor having the State of Florida water quality testing all rivers.

https://wwals.net/issues/testing

Early voting for the primary starts this Saturday August 8, and Election Day is Tuesday, August 18, so we will be reporting answers for more districts whether all the candidates respond or not.

Our source for who is running is the Florida Department of State Candidate Tracking System.

https://dos.elections.myflorida.com/candidates/Index.asp

State Representative District 9

Includes Madison County and parts of Jefferson and Leon Counties.

Continue reading →

Further modified Phase II Water Shortage Ordinance @ SRWMD 2026-07-14

Be at their Live Oak HQ by 9 AM for 4. Public Comment, because it’s very early in the agenda for the July 14, 2026, Governing Board Meeting of the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD).

You can talk about anything you like, including the undead Water First North Florida (WFNF) plan to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee Basin. See https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

If you can’t go, you can watch it live on YouTube:

https://www.mysuwanneeriver.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/1759

Three other agenda items are of interest:

7.A. Hydrologic Conditions Report

10. Water Resources Division Updates

11. Public Hearing for Approval of Order Number 26-004, Modified Phase II Water Shortage

[Packet: Further modified Phase II Water Shortage Order, Hydrologic Conditions Report @ SRWMD 2026-07-14]
Packet: Further modified Phase II Water Shortage Order, Hydrologic Conditions Report @ SRWMD 2026-07-14

Wait, didn’t they already approve a Modified Phase II back in April?

Yes, but that one is expiring, so they’re going to extend it through December 31, 2026.

Nevermind St. Johns River WMD and Southwest Florida WMD went to Phase III months ago.

SRWMD is slightly modifying the previous Modified Phase II. Looks like they could have used an editor.

They added this, “5. Add language on micro irrigation since we call it out in the press release.”

Under: Continue reading →

Better than treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee Basin

Update 2026-07-20: Has one fat lady sung about WFNF? @ SJRWMD 2026-07-14.

Update 2026-07-19: A version of this story appears in the latest edition of Underwater Speleology, the Journal of the Cave Diving Section of the National Speleological Society (NSS-CDS).

Why do three unelected boards want to spend $1.1 billion for a bad solution to two water problems?

The plan is to pipe treated wastewater from the JEA Buckman wastewater plant more than 60 miles into the Suwannee Basin to replenish wetlands and raise flows and levels in springs and rivers. It’s called Water First North Florida (WFNF),1  and it’s wasteful, slow, fragile, and based on unproven technology. It also risks the health of our fragile aquifer.

If it’s clean enough to drink, Jacksonville can drink it. If it’s not, why should the Suwannee Basin accept it to contaminate wetlands, seep into groundwater where cave divers and rare species swim, and come back up in drinking water wells and springs and rivers where people and animals swim? All twelve Suwannee Basin counties have approved a resolution against WFNF and for seawater desalination or other solutions.2

The proposal is being pushed by the unelected boards of JEA (Jacksonville’s private water and wastewater utility), and the Suwannee and St. Johns River Water Management Districts (SJRWMD and SRWMD).

The $1.1 billion cost estimate does not include building the pipelines, nor the cost of obtaining rights of way, nor operational costs. Why should people in the St. Johns Basin accept likely rate increases from cost overruns, operational costs, and lawsuits about pipelines and by neighboring landowners? JEA should line up with its own customers, “JEA is dedicated to serving our customers and delivering reliable, sustainable services at reasonable rates.”3  

[Better than treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee Basin, Water First North Florida]
Better than treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee Basin, Water First North Florida

In May we heard that, “ the Water First North Florida project is being canceled in its current form . ”4  Actually, the state legislature zeroed a $20 million line item for WFNF. 5  But that’s peanuts compared to the combined $525 million already dedicated by JEA and SJRWMD, plus more promised by FDEP.

It ain’t dead yet.

People in both basins get to vote in local, state, and federal elections. WFNF should be an issue.

Continue reading →

Alachua County resolution against WFNF 2026-06-09

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]
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:

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

WFNF not done yet –Florida Alligator 2026-06-14

Update 2026-06-21: Alachua County resolution against WFNF 2026-06-09.

More on how WFNF is not done yet, including that contributing projects are still going.

Cost is one of many reasons for the massive public opposition to Water First North Florida (WFNF), the plan to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee River Basin.

The WFNF cost estimate was $1 billion in July 2025, but had ballooned to $1.1 billion by February 2026. That’s 10% inflation in six months.

Even that higher estimate expressly does not include the cost of the pipeline or eminent domain, not to mention likely lawsuits.

Another reason is that few people trust JEA to clean up the wastewater or to keep the pipeline system working without failures.

Another is that nobody got to vote on WFNF except the unelected boards of JEA and the St. Johns and Suwannee River Water Management Districts (SJRWMD and SRWMD).

[WFNF not done yet --Florida Alligator 2026-06-14, Stacie Greco, Alachua County, Sarah Younger, SSGSCFL]
WFNF not done yet –Florida Alligator 2026-06-14, Stacie Greco, Alachua County, Sarah Younger, SSGSCFL

Much more about WFNF here:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

Julianna Bendeck, the independent florida alligator, June 14, 2026, Why the Water First North Florida project may not be done just yet: The state cancelled the $1 billion aquifer recharge proposal amid drought conditions,

Although state officials abandoned the original Water First North Florida proposal, research associated with the project continues.

Continue reading →