Open Government

A Commitment to Open Government

The South Florida Water Management District is committed to open and transparent two-way communication with the public we serve. That includes avoiding technical jargon and speaking plainly about what we are doing, what we are planning to do and what our activities mean to YOU.

Participate in the Process

We encourage the public to participate in the decision-making process and to be actively engaged at whatever level they choose. We hold meetings in locations throughout our 16-county region, and whenever possible, we make them available for viewing via webcast on our home page or video conference.

Share Your Views

We offer a variety of opportunities, formal and informal, for the public to share their views on any water resource issue. Contact us by email, phone, letter, electronic bulletin boards, formal public records requests or by speaking at public meetings.

Representatives of community, local government, business or other stakeholder groups also provide invaluable insights and perspectives while serving as members of advisory committees and task forces.

District Clerk

The District Clerk serves as Secretary to the Governing Board, recipient and filer of all original pleadings received by the District and custodian of all official District documents. The Clerk can be reached at (561) 682-6805, by email at clerk@sfwmd.gov or by mail at Office of the District Clerk, 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, FL 33406.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Open Government mean?

Florida enjoys an exceptionally broad public records law. Open Government, or Government-in-the-Sunshine, provides a right of access to government proceedings at both the state and local levels. The law applies to both elected and appointed boards and has been applied to any gathering of two or more members of the same board to discuss a matter which may come before that board for action. There is also a constitutionally guaranteed right of access to meetings of collegial public bodies. Virtually all state and local public bodies are covered by the open meetings requirements – with the exception of the judiciary and the state Legislature. These units of government have their own constitutional provisions relating to access.

What is a Public Record?

The Florida Supreme Court has determined that public records are all materials made or received by an agency in connection with official business which are used to perpetuate, communicate or formalize knowledge. They are not limited to traditional written documents. Tapes, photographs, films and sound recordings are also considered public records subject to inspection unless a statutory exemption exists. For more information, see Chapter 119.07, Florida Statutes.

How do I submit a Public Records Request to the South Florida Water Management District?

It is easy to submit a records request to the District. You may request a record by e-mail, regular mail, telephone, fax, or by using the District's online Public Request Form.

You can help the District expedite your request by providing a detailed description. Very broad requests will take longer to process.

To request a record by postal mail, send to:

South Florida Water Management District
Office of Ombuds and Open Government [Mail Stop 2510]
Attention: Public Records Officer
3301 Gun Club Road
West Palm Beach, FL 33406
To submit public records requests by email, send to: PublicRecords@SFWMD.gov
To reach the District's Public Records information line, call (561) 682-2729

How much can the South Florida Water Management District charge for public documents?

By law, the DISTRICT may charge the following fees for Inspection of, and Copying Public Records:

Standard single-sided letter/legal black and white copies - .15 cents per page
Standard double-sided letter/legal black and white copies - .20 cents per page
Certified Copies - $1.00 per copy
Get full Fee Schedule [PDF]

How long does it take to fulfill a public records request?

Florida law states that an agency must respond within the "limited reasonable time" it takes an agency to retrieve and record the record, and delete those portions of the record that are exempt. The length of time it takes this agency to provide the records varies somewhat with the volume of the request, but South Florida Water Management District is committed to providing requested records as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Is the South Florida Water Management District required to give out information from public records or produce public records in a particular form?

The Sunshine Law addresses the right to access, inspect, and copy existing public records but it does not mandate that an agency give out information from the records or create new records to accommodate a request for information. In addition, an agency is not generally required to reformat its records to meet a requestor's particular needs.

If I want to review records at a South Florida Water Management District office, when can I do so?

If you have determined that the records you are requesting are located at a particular South Florida Water Management District office and you would like to review the records in person, you may do so during regular business hours, Monday through Friday.

Are any records exempt from Public Records or Florida Sunshine law provisions?

Some records are exempt. Get more information about public records and open government from the Florida First Amendment Foundation and from the University of Florida Brechner Center for Freedom of Information.