Polk utilities challenged increased withdrawals from river

A regional utility that wants to withdraw more water from the Peace River and several Polk County governments that filed litigation to block it from getting a permit to do so may settle their differences.

“We’re hopeful,” Patrick Lehman, executive director of the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority, said Thursday.

Lehman said a tentative agreement enables the Peace River authority to proceed with an expansion plan but perhaps “step down” the amount of additional water it could withdraw from the river.

The authority, the Polk County Regional Water Cooperative and the city of Lakeland intend to finalize the pact within 45 days.