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Why does Florida’s Aquifer continue to decline despite regulations aimed at preserving it: An institutional analysis and way forward

Douglas J. Merrey
Independent Consultant on Natural Resources Management, Gainesville, Florida, USA; dougmerrey@gmail.com

ABSTRACT: Globally, aquifers underpin food security and domestic water supplies, yet many are severely threatened by over-extraction and pollution. In the southeastern United States, the Floridan Aquifer System is the primary source of water for drinking and other uses, especially in Florida. The system is distinctive because in Florida alone, it includes roughly 1100 artesian springs and extensive underwater caverns. Despite clear evidence that the aquifer and springs are seriously impaired, and despite legal and regulatory requirements for sustainable use, the state continues to issue consumptive-use permits and allow pollution to worsen. Why does this continue? After reviewing evidence of aquifer and spring deterioration, this paper analyses the legal and institutional framework governing Florida’s water resources. It argues that Florida has adopted a centralized regulatory system dominated by large-scale water users, creating little incentive to prioritize conservation. The paper concludes with recommendations for reform, while recognizing the obstacles such reforms would face. Without radical governance reforms, Florida is likely to face an existential challenge as development priorities collide with the decline of the Floridan Aquifer System.

KEYWORDS: Aquifer, groundwater governance, springs, Floridan Aquifer System, nitrates, Florida, USA