ABSTRACT: The Tampa Bay Region on the west coast of Florida is developing new water supplies, which must be protected. Water source protection is a state, regional and local issue implemented through land use controls based on engineering, science and planning methods.

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CROSS CUTTING THEMES OF PROTECTING SURFACE WATER AND GROUNDWATER SUPPLIES

Hillsborough County, like many urban communities, has an evolved drinking water protection strategy, which stems from national, state and local policies. The Florida local government planning system model reinforces a need to link land and water management on a state, regional and local basis through wellhead protection and surface water protection measures. As a part of regional system of interconnected water supplies and with new water supplies coming on line from new groundwater and surface water sources, Hillsborough County is taking actions to address existing and future undesirable land uses which are threats to public drinking water supplies and sources.

The wellhead protection and surface water protection measures are based on an integration of water resources science, land planning methodologies, and seek an integrated policy approach. Groundwater modeling science is used to predict travel times, zones of influence and a basis for distance buffers for wells and well fields. Buffering methodologies are used to establish protection zones based on legal premises and community standards for protection of ground water sources and surface water sources. Decisions to not allow new land uses which are threats to sources are necessary.

The drinking water source protection strategy, which the County is using, is part of larger water resource management and protection policy. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is using an overall watershed management approach for source water protection. Tampa Bay Water is providing regional data and technical assistance to local interests, which must protect drinking water resources. Hillsborough County is focusing on a ground water and surface water protection strategy through its Land Development Code.

FLORIDA LOOKS TO WATERSHED PLANNING TO IDENTIFY PRIORITY WATERSHED ISSUES

The Florida Water Plan is the Department of Environmental Protection’s principal planning tool for long-term protection of Florida’s water resources. Florida faces major water management challenges driven in large part by a population that is projected to increase from nearly 16 million in the year 2000 to about 20.7 million by 2020. The challenges include a projected increase in total fresh water use from about 7.2 billion gallons a day in 1995 to about 9.3 billion gallons a day in 2020; point and nonpoint source pollution from existing and ongoing development is impairing the quality of the state's surface waters; nitrate contamination threatens many of the state's major spring systems; continued development in high-risk, low-lying areas is increasing the potential for flooding to cause significant damage; water withdrawals to meet human needs are causing harm to natural systems; and, the most severe drought in Florida's recorded history is causing water shortages in many parts of the state. Potential solutions for these problems are increasingly controversial and expensive, but Florida's economic future and quality of life depend on how well we protect, manage, conserve, and reuse the state's water resources.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has determined that watershed management is the best available tool to better coordinate the various separate water programs created by different state and federal actions. It has become increasingly clear that these programs must be coordinated so that they are efficiently and effectively working on common priorities. The Watershed Approach aims to manage water resources on the basis of hydrologic units rather than arbitrary political or regulatory boundaries. Also important is the emphasis on involving basin stakeholders in a cooperative effort to define, prioritize, and resolve the basin's problems.

Waterbodies will be evaluated and Total Maximum Daily Loads (of pollutants) will be set to improve and/or protect impaired surface waters. The Tampa Bay area is one of five basin management units, which has been identified in the overall evaluation plan for Florida.

One of the main objectives in the Florida Water Plan is to assess and protect source waters from contamination. Due to the recent drought considerable reevaluation of current policies has occurred. In addition a state drought action plan has been developed and a Water Conservation Initiative, which explores ways to expand the role of water conservation, has been established. At the state level, the Source Water Assessment Program is being implemented to improve protection of source waters used for water supply, especially from the potential contamination associated with normal day-to-day activities of Florida's growing population and economy. Hillsborough County will be one of the first to be evaluated in the next couple years, due in part to the information generated from the county's ordinance.

Water quality threats and actions are primarily focused on drinking water sources, as tap water continues to be considered "safe" by the general public. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has adopted regulations requiring source water protection to insure tap water is "safe". Florida Administrative Code chapter 62-521 outlines the requirements for wellhead protection areas and does not "discourage local governments from establishing more comprehensive or more stringent protection measures".

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Source Water Assessment Program is being implemented to improve protection of source waters used for water supply, especially from the potential contamination associated with normal day-to-day activities of Florida’s growing population and economy.

A consistent local wellhead protection strategy supports Florida’s Watershed program. With strong local restrictions and the leadership to enforce those restrictions, comprehensive protection can be achieved. Hillsborough County is a model to develop this approach because of data availability and past policy work. As previously mentioned, they are models for many statewide efforts. Land Development Code provisions are linking the source protection strategy to the statewide watershed protection strategy. Without incorporating this protection into the planning for future development, success is harder to achieve. Local county ordinances can bridge gaps in protection of source water supplies as the state continues to move toward basin and regional protection strategies.

REGIONAL WATER SUPPLY AND THE INTERJURISDICTIONAL CHALLENGE

Tampa Bay Water is a special district created by inter-local agreement among its member governments (Hillsborough County, Pasco County, Pinellas County, New Port Richey, St. Petersburg, and Tampa) to provide wholesale drinking water to its members, which in turn provide water to over 2 million people in the tri-county area. Tampa Bay Water currently relies on 12 regional groundwater facilities, two water treatment facilities, and a surface water augmentation facility to produce an average of 180 million gallons-per-day (mgd). However, new water supplies must be developed to accommodate permit reduction of 100 mgd at current groundwater facilities required by the Southwest Florida Water Management District, while still meeting the members’ water needs. The chart below shows the mandated permit cut-backs, as well as demands and new supplies over the 20-year planning period.

 

Tampa Bay Water is currently implementing the first phase of a Master Water Plan (MWP) that will provide 96 mgd of new drinking water supply to the region. Originally approved in 1995, the MWP combines new sources like seawater desalination and surface water with limited additional groundwater and aggressive conservation. In the fall of 2000, Tampa Bay Water began construction on the first phase of MWP projects, including the regional surface water and groundwater treatment plant. Other MWP projects being completed include: a 25-mgd seawater desalination facility; the Enhanced Surface Water System that will withdraw water from the Tampa Bypass Canal, Hillsborough and Alafia rivers for potable use, or storage in a new 15–billion gallon reservoir; the Brandon Urban Dispersed Wells Project; and three key interconnecting pipelines.

In June 2001, the Tampa Bay Water Board of Directors approved the next configuration of MWP projects that are expected to add 45-50 mgd to the regional system and meet member water supply needs through 2014. These MWP projects include: a 25-mgd Gulfcoast Seawater Desalination project to be located in northwest Pinellas or southwest Pasco County, the Cone Ranch Wellfield, Mid-Pinellas Brackish Water project, the Cypress Bridge II project, the Crystals International project, Eagles Wells project, and the Cargill Reclaimed Exchange project. One additional project, the Morris Bridge Sink, was also approved for emergency supply purposes. The map below shows Tampa Bay Water’s Master Water Plan.

Tampa Bay Water is also planning for future needs by evaluating water supply projects to meet demand in 2015 and beyond. Recently, a planning process including public meetings, a Planning Advisory Committee, and a Technical Advisory Committee, was used by Tampa Bay Water’s System Engineer (Black & Veatch), the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, and Tampa Bay Water staff to develop a list of more than 300 potential projects, project screening criteria, and a short-list of recommended projects for developmental study. In November 2001, Tampa Bay Water’s Board of Directors approved a developmental study project list for more detailed evaluations over the next year and a half.

I. WHY DO WE NEED TO UPDATE THE COUNTY WELLHEAD PROTECTION ORDINANCE?

Protection of groundwater and surface water resources to ensure a safe source of potable water supply is an ongoing concern to Hillsborough County, and other counties throughout the State. The federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), as amended in 1986 established a new program for the States to delineate and manage Wellhead Protection Areas for the protection of public groundwater supplies. A subsequent amendment of the SDWA in 1996 requires each State to establish and implement a Source Water Assessment and Protection (SWAP) program. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has implemented a statewide wellhead protection (WHP) program (Chapter 62-521, F.A.C.). While the state government has statewide authority and responsibility in this resource protection (Chapter 9J-5), Chapter 163, Florida Statutes, the Local Government Comprehensive Planning and Land Development Regulations Act requires local governments to protect wellfields and water resources through the implementation of land development regulations. State of Florida planning regulations require an Aquifer Recharge and Protection Element as part of the state mandated Comprehensive Plan. Hillsborough County’s current Comprehensive Plan has a set of policies which require protections of the public potable water supply wells and prescribes that threats to public potable water supply wells should be regulated through land use regulations and enforcement.

A wellhead protection ordinance and wellhead resource protection map was adopted by Hillsborough County in 1992 and was subsequently incorporated in the Hillsborough County Land Development Code (Part 3.05.00). Delineation of the Wellhead Resource Protection Areas (RPAs) that surrounded public potable water supply wells was performed by the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), and presented to the Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners. Because new well fields have been constructed, cumulative wellhead pumping rates have changed since 1992, revised population projections and technological advances have been realized, a delineation update to the RPAs, and reviewing and updating Hillsborough County’s Land Development Code is warranted. In addition, protection considerations for surface water providing existing and future potable water demands needs to be considered when updating the county’s wellhead protection ordinance.

The issue is how to adequately protect the current and proposed water supply sources from contamination. Utilizing the state’s requirements for WHP and SWAP programs as guidelines and comparing Hillsborough County’s ordinance with surrounding local governments’ programs, current and proposed water supply sources can be protected for future generations by implementing rules that provide protection of water resources while maintaining economic prosperity.

Since 1992 when the first Wellhead Protection regulations were established in the County’s Land Development Code, Tampa Bay Water has planned and is constructing several new potable drinking water sources in Hillsborough County. These include the Brandon Urban Wellfield and surface water withdrawals from the Hillsborough River, Tampa Bypass Canal, and Alafia River at Bell Shoals. Tampa Bay Water has announced their intent to develop a desalinization plant along Tampa Bay and regional water supply reservoir adjacent to the Alafia River that can receive diverted high-stage flows primarily from the Hillsborough River, Tampa Bypass canal and Alafia River. Consequently, the objectives have been expanded to include the development of a policy and planning overlay to provide an acceptable level of planning and regulatory protection for potable surface water sources.

These new wells and surface water withdrawals are not currently covered by the County’s Wellhead Protection regulations in the Land Development Code. This project is to analyze the need for protection of these added public supply water wells and surface water withdrawals and propose any needed changes to the County’s Land Development Code.

The majority of water supply projects that are being proposed within the Tampa Bay Water service area in Hillsborough County. These projects represent long-term solutions to regional water supply problems and have high visibility. It can be reasonably expected that this project will develop a significant amount of press and controversy as regional water dynamics continue to play out. Citizen rights and property rights are in possible confrontation. The selection of a new Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), similar to the one formed in 1990, provides input on the proposed groundwater and surface water protection strategies, overlays and subsequent regulations.

The TAC is comprised of a broad-based group of stakeholders including a multidisciplinary interagency staff team, which has been assembled to support the update process and provide technical and professional expertise. Stakeholders include environmental and industrial interests, regulatory agencies, water suppliers, agricultural and development interests other county departments and citizen groups.

Additionally, community workshops, public forums and landowner participation is expected. Elected and appointed board endorsement is required through confidence and consensus building.

III. THE COUNTY’S APPROACH TO GROUND WATER AND SURFACE WATER PROTECTION

The wellhead protection and surface water protection measures are based on an integration of water resources science, land planning methodologies, and seek an integrated policy approach. Groundwater modeling science is used to predict travel times, zones of influence and a basis for distance buffers for wells and well fields. Decisions to not allow new land uses which are threats to sources are necessary.

Hillsborough County is focusing on a ground water and surface water protection strategy through its Land Development Code.

GROUNDWATER PROTECTION APPROACH

 

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