The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday approved a temporary water use permit that will allow Polk County’s Northeast Regional Utility Service Area (NERUSA) to pump more water.
The temporary permit allows the county to increase its permitted Annual Average Daily quantities from 6,054,600 gallons per day (gpd) to 6,304,600 gpd.
The county requested a temporary permit while the permit renewal application is being evaluated. The county requested the temporary permit because it believes pumping may begin to exceed the permitted quantity. The Northeast service area has experienced rapid growth and the county has not requested an increase in quantities on this permit since 2003.
The temporary permit expires April 25, unless the Governing Board extends it at its April 24 meeting.
Polk County’s NERUSA is within the Southwest Florida and South Florida Water Management Districts and the Central Florida Coordination Area (CFCA.) The coordination area extends into the three water management districts, Southwest, South and St. Johns; and includes Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Polk counties, southern Lake County, and the city of Cocoa service area.
The water management districts are working together to identify the area’s future water needs and available ground water, and ensure equitable distribution of the remaining ground water and the development of alternative water supplies. The water management districts are also jointly reviewing permits, like this one.