Save/Pollution/Contaminants//Miami/Rules/WaterSense/Growth/Everglades/Fees
 
Our Santa Fe River, Inc.

www.oursantaferiver.org

1-386-454-2366

 
 
Hello,
 
I went to the Suwannee River Water Management District meeting on Wednesday last week (instead of working because it was so important).  At this particular meeting they discussed changes to the Administrative Rule 40B-2, for industrial and commercial water permit users (namely I attended for our intents and puposes...water bottlers). There is an article from the Lake City Reporter in this e-mail that covers the story well.  Our Santa Fe River will keep you informed via Holly Stalvey, communications liason for SRWMD, as to when and where the next important public meetings are for this VERY IMPORTANT rule changing procedure as the rules have not been changed since 1982!
 
I did meet Mr. Stephen Cheeseman here for the first time.  He owns Sawdust Springs (also known as Santa Fe Springs, LLC...somewhat next to Blue Springs and across from the tube out location for Ginnie Springs park on the Santa Fe River).  This is listed as a 3rd level magnitude spring. With a discharge of 3,090,000 gallons a day, March 2000.  Mr. Cheeseman purchased this bottle water permit in a land deal back in Sept. 2005 and it was originally permitted in year 2000 by Langston Holland (land owner) and SRWMD for consumptive use, water bottling.  Mr. Cheeseman is allowed an average and a maximum withdrawal of 150,000 gallons per day, not to exceed 54,750,000 gallons a calendar year.  And at this time, according to 40B-2 he can reapply to his permit and make it bigger (this is proposed to be changed in the revised rules...once a permit is established there will be no uping of the withdrawal).  
 
Mr. Cheeseman wants to extract (by way of a "pump station") water from a place located near the spring head, so he can label his water "spring water" and put it in trucks or a PIPELINE and deliver the water to Ft. White or possibly a place between Santa Fe River and Lake City where it will then be "processed" and put into prefabricated plastic bottles and then packaged and shipped to the ends of the earth.  The neighborhood where the "pump station" would be located is rural residential/agriculture.
 
This building permit request will be heard in Columbia County because of the location of the "pump station" in rural Columbia County.  It will also be heard in Ft. White (or some other town government depending on where he desires to put the facility that will complete the manufacturing of the product.  We have good reason to believe it will be Ft. White because the negotiations have already begun last year with the Ft. White Council members by meetings with the mayor and unknown members of the council and staff.  Mr. Cheeseman has also met with private land holders in the town limits of Ft. White in an effort to purchase property where the facility or plant might be located. 
 
 
Sawdust Springs is located behind this sign on the Santa Fe River, Florida
 
Sawdust Springs looking toward the Santa Fe River
 
Consider this....Mr. Cheeseman, Sawdust Springs, Santa Fe Springs, LLC all one of the same and definitely one to watch.   We will keep you posted as to when and where the meetings for this one will be.   He has until August 6, 2009 to fulfill his permit conditions from the SRWMD.  One of the conditions is that he must get approval to construct the pump station and the facility.  Please inform you friends, neighbors and co-workers of this too. 
 
Kim Davis, owner of Blue Springs Properties, was also in the meeting room (last Wednesday) about the rule changes to 40B-2.  Her being present leads me to think she does not give up easily.  She is expected to legally appeal the decision made in Gilchrist County.  We will keep you posted.  
 
Please donate to help us help the river. 
 
Fundraising is imperative. Contact us by e-mail or phone number if you want to make a gift or donation for our efforts in stopping more water bottlers on the Santa Fe River.
 
Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson
board member OSFR
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Save Our Suwannee, Inc
 
How to Save a Spring
Thursday, Oct. 23 @ 7pm
High Springs Library
 
Saving Three Sisters Springs--A group of dedicated volunteers is making a concerted effort to raise funds to purchase The Three Sisters springs property in Crystal river for preservation by incorporation in to the Crystal River Wildlife Refuge as a low impact, public access, bird and manatee watching park.
 
Dr. John Peterlin, on the board of Directors of The Friends of the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Inc., will speak to us at our next SOS meeting.
 
This place was slated for development and now from the efforts of these volunteers the owners of the land are interested in the conservation effort.
 
Learn first hand from Dr. Peterlin "How to Save a Spring."
 
Please bring your friends and neighbors. The public is welcome.
 
Refreshments will be served.
 
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Currents Problems and Adventure Outpost River Clean Up

Sat. Oct. 25 @ 9 am

47 bridge (near Ft. White) 

All

Lars Andersen of Adventure Outpost will lead a cleanup on our behalf at the Santa Fe River, Saturday, October 25 from Ginnie Springs to the US 47 Bridge.  Lars would like you to meet him at the 47 Bridge.  From there he will shuttle people up to Ginnie Springs to put in.  To get to the bridge, take CR 340 west until you get to US 47, turn right, and continue until you get to the bridge.  The meeting place is in the park on the right just before the bridge.  There is room for only 14 people, so let me know now if we should reserve a spot for you.  If you have your own boat, we would still appreciate your letting us know you intend to come, but you do not need to worry about saving your spot.  Please be at the 47 Bridge by 9:00 am.  Lars will leave with the group on schedule, so please make an effort to be on time.

 We appreciate Lars taking time out of his busy guide trip schedule to conduct this cleanup.  Since the International Coastal Cleanup window is still open, the trash collected will got into the ICC's tally as well as our own.  Hope you can come! 

Fritzi S. Olson
Executive Director
Current Problems, Inc
PO Box 357098
Gainesville, Florida 32635
aar@currentproblems.org
352-264-6827

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Water Pollution...
 
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Bottled water has contaminants too, study finds

By JEFF DONN, AP National Writer Posted Tue Oct 14, 2008 9:17pm PDT

 

Sweden's second city Gothenburg has decided to stop buying bottled water due to environmental concerns and will only provide civil servants with tap water, a city councillor said Thursday.(AFP/File/Teh Eng Koon)

- Tests on leading brands of bottled water turned up a variety of contaminants often found in tap water, according to a study released Wednesday by an environmental advocacy group. 

read more.... 
 
 
 
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MIAMI-DADE

Bottled water firm steamed about Miami-Dade water ads

Radio commercials that touted Miami-Dade tap water have landed the county in legal hot water with Nestle.

BY CURTIS MORGAN

cmorgan@MiamiHerald.com

read more... 
 
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Food & Water Watch says

October 2008

Dear Merrillee,

Tell Nestlé:
Stop Being a Bully

We've Made it Easy
Contact Nestlé: Now

We were outraged when we found out about the bullying -- and you will be, too.

Residents of Miami-Dade recently heard a public service announcement encouraging them to drink their tap water and reminding them that bottled water doesn't go through the same stringent testing as tap water. It's a good message -- so good that it's got corporate water baron Nestlé shooting off geysers. 

Nestlé wrote to the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WaSD) and told them: CEASE AND DESIST with your advertising campaign. AND promise you'll never do it again. Learn more in the Miami Herald.

Nestlé just assured us in a public forum they aren't competing with tap water. So why are they hitting a public utility with such strong arm tactics? Is the consumer backlash against the waste of bottled water draining their $46 billion water revenues? Are the community wins against the bottler's fight to take control of community water making them nervous?

We hope so. Contact Nestlé and tell them to lay off their bullying. Tell them the consumers want to know the truth about bottled water waste and lack of controls on bottled water. Tell them consumers don't want Nestlé and their lawyers trying to intimidate their public utilties. Tell Nestlé that utilities have a right to inform the public about their public resources and tell Nestlé you are taking back the tap and they should get out of the way so the rest of the public can, too.

Contact Nestlé: Now

Thank you for all you do.  Together we can stop the bullying and protect our public water.

Sincerely,
The Water Team
Food & Water Watch


Food & Water Watch is a nonprofit consumer organization that works to ensure clean water and safe food. We challenge the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources by empowering people to take action and by transforming the public consciousness about what we eat and drink.

Talk to Us | Support Us | Subscribe

 
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SRWMD: Rules have changed

The Santa Fe River (above) is one of the many bodies of water under the jurisdiction of the Suwannee River Water Management District that is being taken into consideration with regard entities and their water consumption. JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter

Consumption by various entities will be affected.

By JEFF M. HARDISON
jhardison@lakecityreporter.com
Published: Friday, October 10, 2008 6:14 AM EDT 
read more...
 
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Doing More with Less Water—First WaterSense Partners of the Year
 
One less drop in the bucket means kudos for three organizations and one individual who are promoting water efficiency and saving water. The first WaterSense Partners of the Year are being recognized for encouraging Americans to tap into their water resources wisely over the last year.
 
“EPA commends these partners for being blue ribbon winners in water efficiency,” said Benjamin H. Grumbles, EPA’s assistant administrator for water. “These water stars are helping WaterSense transform the way Americans view and value our most precious liquid asset, and, as a result, we are saving more and wasting less for future generations.”
 
While EPA’s WaterSense program depends on the efforts of more than 1,000 partners, these four exceptional partners earned this special distinction from EPA:
  • Promotional Partner of the Year: The Saving Water Partnership
  • Manufacturer Partner of the Year: Kohler Co.
  • Retailer and Distributor Partner of the Year: Ferguson
  • Irrigation Partner of the Year: Timothy Malooly of Shorewood, Minn.
 
These organizations and individual represent the best of WaterSense’s four partner categories. The Saving Water Partnership is a collaboration between Seattle Public Utilities and 17 participating local water utilities. Kohler Co. is a leading bathroom and kitchen product manufacturer. Ferguson is one of the country’s largest wholesale distributors of plumbing supplies. Timothy Malooly is a WaterSense irrigation partner and president of two Minnesota-based irrigation firms: Irrigation Consultants & Control and Irrigation by Design.
 
The 2008 Partners of the Year helped advance the WaterSense mission through a range of activities demonstrating creativity and collaboration, and promoting water efficiency from New York City’s Times Square to the Minnesota Zoological Garden. Three of the winning organizations also have worked together to educate plumbers and consumers on the benefits of WaterSense-labeled products.
 
In 2007, WaterSense partners were responsible for labeling, selling, and promoting more than 193,400 WaterSense-labeled products, saving the United States more than 277 million gallons of water annually.
 
WaterSense, a partnership program launched in 2006 by the EPA, seeks to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water.
 
The first WaterSense Partner of the Year awards are being presented at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas, Nev., the first national water-efficiency conference for an interdisciplinary audience.
 
Information on the WaterSense program can be found by going to: epa.gov/watersense.
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http://www.1000friendsofflorida.org/

Survey about citizen input into growth management decisions in Florida’s communities


I would like to ask you to take a few minutes to complete a survey about growth management issues in Florida. It is available at http://new.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_0Gx0jW18AV08uCU&SVID=Prod. As you know, deciding how best to make land use decisions is a key question in Florida today. Professors Tom Tyler of New York University and David Markell from the Florida State University College of Law have launched this study in an effort to examine views about how land use decisions should be made and the role that citizens should play.

Please note that the attached survey asks for your opinions. There are no right or wrong answers, and participation is entirely voluntary. By completing this survey you have a chance to offer your views about the role that citizens and different levels of government should play in land use decision making.

Thanks!

Charles Pattison, FAICP
President
1000 Friends of Florida

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EVERGLADES

High water in the Everglades threatens wildlife

With deer belly-deep in the marsh, state wildlife managers fear animals will die if water levels in the Everglades don't recede.

High water in Everglades threatens wildlife
 

BY CURTIS MORGAN

cmorgan@MiamiHerald.com

The Everglades are drowning.





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Water  Fees:
 
the Fla State law allows this  increase during period of declared water restriction state wide not just S Fla.. 
 
Some communities increase fees during water restrictions to compensate for revenue lost during decreased water sales.

Fort Lauderdale, whose water system serves residents in parts or all of Fort Lauderdale, Wilton Manors, Oakland Park, Davie, Port Everglades, Tamarac and unincorporated Broward County, sent postcards warning water customers that when restrictions get deeper Tuesday, the drought surcharge will get steeper. Water users will see the charge on their February bills, the postcard advises. The city's surcharge for water use during once-a-week limits is 17 percent for a residential user. The surcharge under twice-a-week limits was 8 percent. For a home using 8,000 gallons in a month, that raises the bill from $15.29 to $17.26, according to city documents.