Did you know water supply planning, water conservation and the use of alternative water supplies are essential to meet the growing demand on our limited water resources?
More than 3 billion gallons of water are used every day in Central and Southern Florida by more than 9 million residents and visitors for drinking, bathing, watering our lawns, growing crops and servicing industries.
As part of its public service mission, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) ensures there are sufficient water supplies to meet the needs of the region’s residents, visitors, and the environment – now and in the future. The SFWMD proactively develops long-term water supply plans to monitor, evaluate and identify water sources and projects to meet future water needs throughout its 16-county region.
The SFWMD’s five distinct regional water supply planning areas include:
- Upper East Coast: The Upper East Coast Water Supply Planning Area encompasses Martin and St. Lucie counties as well as the northeastern portion of Okeechobee County.
- Lower West Coast: The Lower West Coast Water Supply Planning Area includes Lee County and portions of Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Monroe counties.
- Lower East Coast: The Lower East Coast Water Supply Planning Area includes Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and parts of Monroe, Collier and Hendry counties.
- Lower Kissimmee Basin: The Lower Kissimmee Basin Water Supply Planning Area includes portions of Okeechobee, Highlands and Glades counties.
- Upper Kissimmee Basin: The Upper Kissimmee Basin Water Supply Planning Area includes portions of Orange, Osceola and Polk counties and is within the boundaries of the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI), where the South Florida, St. Johns River and Southwest Florida water management districts collaboratively develop a plan for the region.
SFWMD staff works with the District’s partners, stakeholders, and members of the public to develop these regional water supply plans, evaluate current and future water demands and identify water sources for all of South Florida’s needs while protecting the water resources and the environment. Water supply plans look at least 20 years into the future and are updated every five years to stay current with growth trends.
We encourage you to visit SFWMD.gov/WaterSupply and learn more about the ways the SFWMD is planning for future water needs.