The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Governing Board voted in December to approve the 2025 Regional Water Supply Plan (RWSP), providing a framework for future water management decisions and demonstrating how growing water demands can be met through 2045.
The RWSP identifies sufficient water supplies to meet the growing needs of the 16-county area using a combination of alternative water sources, fresh groundwater and water conservation measures. District staff project that the population within the District’s boundaries will reach 7.8 million people by 2045, a nearly 27% increase from 2020. Additionally, water demands for all use sectors are projected to increase a combined 215 million gallons per day (mgd), from 1,093 mgd in 2020 to 1,308 mgd in 2045.
“The 2025 Regional Water Supply Plan is a clear, science-based roadmap for ensuring sustainable water supplies as our region grows," said Jay Hoecker, Water Resources Bureau chief. "Its completion reflects the dedication and technical expertise of approximately 50 District staff, whose thorough analysis and collaboration with partners over three years have produced a plan that will guide responsible water management out into the future.”
The District’s RWSP encompasses 16 counties and is divided into four planning regions (Heartland, Northern, Southern and Tampa Bay). The RWSP is an assessment of projected water demands and potential sources of water to meet those demands for the next 20 years. Ultimately, the 2025 RWSP concludes that water supply demands for all use sectors can be met through 2045 while protecting and restoring natural systems by using a combination of alternative water sources, water conservation measures and fresh groundwater.
District staff project water demands for the following sectors for each county in the District: public supply, agriculture, industrial/commercial, mining/dewatering, power generation and landscape/recreation. The RWSP also evaluated potential sources of water to meet these increased demands, including fresh and brackish groundwater, surface water, stormwater, reclaimed water, seawater and conservation. Aquifer storage and recovery is also discussed in the plan as a storage option with great potential to maximize the use of surface water, stormwater and reclaimed water. Aquifer recharge is discussed as a method to directly or indirectly increase water supply, restore aquifer levels and manage saltwater intrusion.
Nearly 671 mgd of potential additional water availability was identified within the District through 2045, which includes an estimated 53 mgd in projected public supply water conservation savings. Therefore, District staff concluded that available water supplies and conservation measures are sufficient to meet the projected 2045 demand of 215 mgd.
For more information on the 2025 RWSP, visit WaterMatters.org/RWSP.