Water-Related News

Putnam wants water policy passed

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said that Florida lawmakers must approve a water-policy plan floated last spring to avoid the types of shortages being experienced in California.

Putnam, warning of “dark clouds on the horizon” at the Florida Chamber of Commerce’s Future of Florida Forum, also spoke of the need to further improve educational options in the state and for a third natural-gas pipeline to be built to further diversify the state’s energy sources.

But the initial focus of his speech this week was the need to establish water policies for a state that will “face over a 1-billion-gallon-a-day shortfall by 2030.” And the way to do that, he said, is to approve water policies outlined in a bill (HB 7003) that died when the House abruptly ended the regular legislative session in April.

Putnam said lawmakers need to close the remaining “minor” differences in their water proposals as a way to maintain the quality of life in Florida and plan economic opportunities.