Selling our water supply
 

I am concerned that I have seen very little comment about the private company who has a petition submitted for approval to bottle and sell Sumter County spring water.


Their plans are to pump and bottle nearly 500,000 gallons during the low season and nearly 1,000,000 during high demand seasons. I am shocked that the decision making powers to be would even consider approving such a plan. Almost every year water restrictions are imposed on we Villages and it is outrageous to think they would allow our water to be bottled and sold. Without ample water supply, the Villages would become a ghost town over night.

I agree. Water is this countries most precious resource. Not coal, gas, wind, water... I have tried to get/find an environmental impact statement (EIS) on what the impact is short term/long term of the action. This is a Federal regulator requirement. I'm not sure all the impacts have been considered. Keep in mind, our precious water resources are going out of the State.

The response to my post is right to the point. This is the second day for my post and there has been only one response. Why are Villagers not up in arms about this?? It is a fact that an Ocala has requested from Sumter County officials permission to take up to nearly a million gallons of spring water from our aquifers. This water will be bottled and sold throughout the USA. What is it you don't understand ??? We need to be involved with the small groups that are fighting for you, let us give them some help.

You may wish to read the thread started by Bogey Shooter on 12/15/15 and the pages of comments about this before you issue your call to arms.

Maybe now you know how the locals feel about the ever expanding villages. Why do you think you are any more entitled to the water than other Americans?

Because it will be given to a bottling company that will then sell it.
Let them find another source for their free water.

Share with us these groups.......so we can get involved.

I'm sure it's not just being given to them. Sumer Co. is probably in line to make a pretty penny from this.

But the idea is absurd. Especially when our region has been put under water restrictions. This is something that should be put up for vote.

As stated, there were threads on this since December, outrage expressed, legislatures contacted, county commissioners contacted, protest groups in front of the lawmakers.....I assume those posting here weren't outraged or involved when this first started. Another example of an outrage post to stir up the minions with no solutions offered.....<sigh>

Selling our water supply
 

Pumping out the water beneath us may cause more sinkholes?


Many natural sinkholes cannot be prevented. However, those caused by human activity may be avoided, especially those caused by over-pumping groundwater. During dry conditions, water tables drop in the limestone and cavities under Florida's sand and clay soil.
How Sinkholes Form - St. Johns River Water Management District
Website of the St. Johns River Water Management District ›

This water is necessary for those in Sumter County to live here. People living in New York don't depend on available water in Sumter County Florida. Allowing a private company to take it from the ground does nothing more than feed a stupid bottled water fad. California already is suffering from a water shortage, we could be next ..

Google Ralph Kerr or call him at 813-985-7481 ext ***2

The entire State of Florida has water restrictions. NOT just The Villages.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=Florid...5610D33739215C

How is that different than the TV water dept selling water to us? Who do you think drinks this bottled water? We and our neighbors do.

What is the difference if the water is consumed from the faucet or a bottle? It is still consumed. Eventually it will be recycled, treated and used on your lawn, most likely. Who says this water ever leaves Florida? Have you ever seen the cases of bottled water being hauled out of local Publix, Walmart, Sams, etc.?

You need not assume Viilagers are doing nothing. I submitted my letter of protest to Mr. Ralph Kerr 3 weeks ago. I understood the problem from reading TOTV. I just did not announce the actions I took in response to the postings. I am grateful to the posters who provided contact information for the Water Management people, so I knew exactly to whom I should address my protest letter.

Please, Florida been expanding for 100 plus years. Maybe it will be sold around the world and pulled off 10 acre site?

Daa, they buy the water, they don't refine it and bottle it for consumption around the world

If all the bottlers that wanted to take the free water were allowed, there would be no water for TV water dept to sell to us. That's the difference.

No you don't drink this water. You might one day but not presently. Who do I think will drink this water, ask water providers in Chicago, New York and cites across this nation. This water is not only for drinking but laundry, cooking, sanitary, washing dishes etc, Don't you understand that 90% of this water will be sold outside of Sumter County ???

Me, too
Here is the address again
Ralph O Kerr, PG
7601 US Hwy 301
N Tampa, FL 33637
RALPH.KERR@Watermatters.org


Permit # 20020576

Anyone been to Lake Weir? Ever notice the docks being about 10 feet above the water level? Did you know there is a water bottling plant on the north west corner of the lake that moved in just prior to water levels receding?

Does anyone really have evidence this bottled water will leave Florida? Seems like a lot of doomsayers to me. Florida is bringing in about 4000+ new people every week. Those new people will use about 1500 to 2000 gallons of water per month. That equates to about 6-8 million gallons per month. This bottled water company wants to pull out around 500,000 gallons per day, or 15,000,000 gallons per month. This equates to about 2 to 3 weeks of new residents moving to Florida! Your real issue should be the number of new residents and the endless development in Florida. But continue down your fruitless efforts to stop the bottling company.

Yeah, it would seem easier to stop people from moving here, than to stop a water bottling plant from obtaining water...especially since we are already living here!:faint:

If you don't see the futility in this effort, even if you were to be successful in shutting this one company down, then go for it.

I do not believe this has made it past the two athourites that have the legalresponsibilty to pass this. I have not seen any updates,and do not know how to follow up. The Daily Sun ??????? YAA. We all should be involved

Selling Water Supply
 

There is clarification required.
No One is selling the Water.
The permit being requested from the state is to drill a well in Sumter County into the upper aquifer of the Florida Aquifier that provides water used by residents of a number of Counties and communities including The Villages Development.

The amount of water being requested to be taken from the upper aquifer is an average of 496,000 gallons daily with a peak average in excess of more than 800,000 gallons daily.

The water will be trucked, over 80 truck loads of 8,000 gallons per truck, per day, to a bottling company located in Lake County. Unsure which bottling company, and sold nationally through a distribution network.

No evidence Sumter County will be or is entitled to be compensated in any way for this water.

This permit has not yet been granted to the the Ocala Company requesting the permit.

The are a number of questions and disturbing issues requiring further clarification from all parties involved, The State of Florida, Sumter County, The Bottlers and The Well drillers before this permit should be issued.

Unfortunately because the request is below 500,000 gallons per day NO public hearing is required or will be held prior to the granting of the permit.

Once the permit is issued, if it is issued anyone who feels they have the potential to be negatively impacted by the issuance of the permit may object to the permit. A hearing may then be held.

For more information if interested there are active groups involved in attempting to resolve this pending issue :sing::confused:

Your post has nothing to do with the real issue. Of course the water will be sold to any wholesaler who will buy it. This company has no true consideration for we residents. Your numbers regarding Florida mean nothing to me. The water removal request will be from two Springs in Sumter county and will have an effect on Sumter residents, NOT the State of Florida !!!

Thank You !!!! your comments are exactly on the mark !!!!!

Not exactly true. There are several water districts and each develope their own rules and restrictions. We are governed by the South West Water Management District.

Selling our water supply
 

Is there an organized movement in the Villages? Who is the POC? Is there a petition to sign? I totally agree that we, including the Villages development, need to be good stewards of the environment. Not all of us can go to the hearings, etc.

You seem to be very knowledgable on the issue. Do you know if an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement is required and/submitted.

Input without having to attend public meeting
 

I just got off the phone with Danielle Sailler (813-985-7481 X 4355) at the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the office handling permitting for the Fern Spring Project, Water Use Permit (WUP) Application No. 20020576.000. This is the project for the company, Spring Water Resources, applying to pump and bottle water from Belton's Millpond in Sumter Co.

Danielle says it is not necessary to attend the public hearing to have your input taken into account. The public meeting is being provided as one of several ways for the public to provide input. She said the decision on the permit will not be rendered on the day of the hearing (5/4/16 at 9a).

Danielle says if you want your comments to be recorded it is just as effective to submit them via email to Darrin Herbst, WUP Bureau Chief. It is very important to include the name of the project (Fern Spring) and especially the WUP application number (20020576.000) in your correspondence: Mr. Herbst's email is:

darrin.herbst@watermatters.org

Your input will get attention. When I called Danielle she knew me by name and acknowledged that I had already exchanged 2 communications with her office. She is very nice to talk with.

Does any one know the politics, or procedures to who and how this system of government process works?? I agree this is not a good move in anyones longer term intrest

thank u mr darcy Nice to see some one thinking

The answer to your question is NO
Neither are required nor have been provided.
No studies of 20 year i,pact on the water supply based on growth projections
are required or provided. YOu may call me at 352 350 2477

At the rate TV is expanding, in 20 months there will be another 10,000 TV residents (5,000 new homes). Their water usage will be at least 500,000 gallons per day. It adds up. And this is just for TV. There are many more developments in Central Fl.

I got an email from a neighbor and got to work and wrote an email to Darrin Herbst, Dave Kramer, Michelle Hopkins and Danielle Sailler. All of the addresses are similar, ex Darrin.Herbst@watermatters.org Please take the time to write a quick note to these folks. The Permit application is #20020576.000 and the project is Fern Spring / SWR Properties, LLC. The application has not turned into a permit yet. The following is an email that sparked me to write:

Date: May 17, 2016
Subject: New Permit to Pump Water from Fern Springs Could Effect Village Homes
Below are several contacts where we can send our concerns opposing the Ocala company from pumping water from the springs in Sumter county.
Please read. This has the potential of having a huge effect on The Villages.

Fern Spring Permit for 892,000 gallons of water per day!
Donald Brozick from Gilchrist West
UPDATE ON WATER PERMIT

Fern Spring
SWR Properties, LLC
Application # 200020576.000
Sumter County

There was a meeting on May 4th and a subsequent meeting coming up ( not sure the date yet). Not too late to voice your concerns.

The Spring Water Resources of Ocala is the company that has filed a permit application with the state Water Use Permit Bureau to pump water from Fern Spring and an unnamed spring east of CR 470 and north of U.S. 301 in Sumter County. The water would be sold to Azure Water of Leesburg, whose clients include Consolidated Water Group, Publix, Niagara Bottling Co., DS Water and Nestle Water. It has potential effect to our homes in The Villages ( water table, sink holes, etc). A pumping station, loading driveway and office building would be built on the 10.5-acre property, which is owned by Spring Water Resources.

On an average day, the well operation would operate 13.3 hours, filling 80 trucks with 6,200 gallons each. But during peak months, the well would operate 24 hours a day, pumping 892,000 gallons a day and filling 144 trucks, according to permit application documents. I understand that there is another meeting planned so it is important that you voice your concerns.

Feel free to communicate this around since the company is trying to take a low key approach on this and working to keep it under the radar screen before the residence can do anything about it. That is why the permit is for 892,000 and not 1,000,000 ( pretty sneaky since if it keeps a judge from reviewing the application). If you want to voice your objection, here is the information on how to voice your concerns. I am giving you several contacts to voice your opinion. May want to send one email and copy all on the contacts list below.

The more emails they get the more attention it gets.

See below on the information and who to contact.

From: Justin Eddy <Justin.Eddy@swfwmd.state.fl.us>
Subject: NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING – May 4, 2016 at 9:00 AM
Date: April 29, 2016 at 3:16:29 PM EDT

Notice of Public Meeting – Pending Permit Applications
Tampa Service Office, 7601 US Highway 301 North, Tampa FL 33637-6759
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING – May 4, 2016 at 9:00 AM

To ensure that the public has an opportunity to provide in person input into the District’s permitting process, District staff holds monthly public meetings prior to making decisions on Individual water use and environmental resource permits. A meeting notice and agenda (including the date, time and location) are posted on the District’s web site prior to each meeting).

To comment in person, interested persons should attend the appropriate permitting public meeting when the permit application of interest is on the agenda. If you have submitted a comment via one of the written or electronic means listed below, you are not required to attend the meeting to have your comment considered prior to the permitting decision.

o Send comments via email to Michelle Hopkins, Michelle.Hopkins@watermatters.org ERP Bureau Chief; or
o Schedule an appointment to discuss your comments with Dave Kramer, Dave.Kramer@watermatters.org , ERP Evaluation Manager.
o Send comments via email to Darrin Herbst, Darrin.Herbst@watermatters.org WUP Bureau Chief; or
o Schedule an appointment to discuss your comments with Claire Muirhead, Claire.Muirhead@watermatters.org WUP Evaluation Manager.

NOTE: When sending comments via US mail or email, please clearly state in the subject line: "PUBLIC COMMENT FOR (APPLICATION # 200020576.000), (COUNTY Sumter )". This will ensure your comments are directed to the appropriate application reviewer as quickly as possible.

You can search for pending permits (by application number, project name, or by county) or sign up for electronic notification of applications received by visiting:ePermitting.

For questions concerning a particular permit or this process, please contact Danielle Sailler Danielle.Sailler@WaterMatters.org at (813) 985-7481 or (800) 423-1476 (FL Only), extension 4355. (Click on name to send questions via email.)

Thanks,
Justin J. Eddy
Regulatory Support Technician
Southwest Florida Water Management District
7601 Highway 301 North, Tampa, FL 33637
Phone: 813-985-7481 Ext 2097
Fax: 813-987-6467
Link to E-Permitting

Prior to hearing about who to contact, I sent an email to Danielle M Sailler ( see email address) and it was quite easy and received a confirmation that it was included rather quickly. With enough letters or emails, this will force a response an administrative hearing before a judge ( which is what the company is trying to avoid).

If you write a LETTER to:
Ralph Kerr, Sr Professional Geologist, 7601 US Highway 301 North,Tampa ,Fl 33637. Also Danielle Sailler,Manager:

Danielle M. Sailler
Manager, Regulatory Support
Regulatory Support Bureau
Southwest Florida Water Management District
7601 Highway 301 North
Tampa, FL 33637-6759
1-800-836-0797 (FL only) or 813-985-7481, ext. 4355
danielle.sailler@watermatters.org

Additionally, you can write letters to your county commissioners: Al Butler,
Doug Gilpin, Don Burgess, Garry Breeden, Don Hahnfeldt…their addresses are in the Villages phone book.

ePermitting
swfwmd.state.fl.us

I hope this helps you in prompting you to also write an email. Be sure to put in the subject line: PUBLIC COMMENT FOR (APPLICATION # 200020576.000), (COUNTY Sumter )

(gasp!) I heard they are going to use florida air to drive energy producing windmills! don't let that wind pass out of florida!!

The water issue is not something to make light of.