The Southwest Florida Management District and Polk County have agreed to jointly fund a study to determine the feasibility of developing water supply from the Lower Floridan aquifer. Until now, all groundwater supplies from the Floridan aquifer have been obtained from the Upper Floridan aquifer.
The project consists of constructing and testing an exploratory well in northeast Polk County. The test well will be drilled to a depth of 2,350 feet below the surface. The data and test results collected from the well will be used to determine the feasibility of using the Lower Floridan aquifer as a source of potable water.
If tests show the well is a capable of producing 3 to 5 million gallons per day (gpd) from the Lower Floridan aquifer, this would be a substantial offset of groundwater withdrawals from the Upper Floridan aquifer.
Most of Polk County is in the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA), a 5,000-mile area where groundwater overuse has resulted in lake level declines, reduced flows in the upper Peace River and saltwater intrusion along the coast. This partnership with Polk County to search for alternative water supply options is in line with the District’s Regional Water Supply Plan.
This cooperatively funded project between Polk County and the District is expected to cost $825,000. Polk County will receive up to $412,500 from the District, which will be divided evenly between the District’s Governing Board and Peace River Basin Board.