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Action Alert In: ACTION ALERT | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River

Action Alert In: ACTION ALERT | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River

 

Nestle sets its sights on the Santa Fe River

Our Santa Fe River, which successfully stopped several water bottling operations in and around the Santa Fe River years ago, is once again confronted with a serious withdrawal threat. Using the now expired consumptive use permit owned by Seven Springs Water company, Nestle Waters is looking to renew that permit to be able to draw 1.152 million gallons per day (MGD) from wells near and connected with Ginnie Springs. They are currently responding to their second request for additional information from the Suwannee River Water Management District, and the decision point is drawing closer. Lovers of the Santa Fe River and its Springs, and users of the Floridan Aquifer need to act now.

As it stands here are the key factors:

  • The Santa Fe River has been listed as an Impaired waterway with a Recovery Strategy by the state agencies.
  • At least one of the boreholes is a direct conduit into Ginnie Spring itself.
  • Overpumping has been a contentious issue for years, despite the fact that the pumping has been used for food production and other beneficial issues.
  • There is no reasonable and beneficial use and need for this extraction (besides corporate profits for a non-native company). In the past 4 years Ice River Springs, the operating entity, only used under 300,000 water daily. At NO time, ever, did any water bottler use the entire allocation 1.152 MGD.
  • Nestle is only requesting a 5-year permit instead of the more typical 20-year permit. We suspect it is because the science necessary to fulfill a 20-year permit for extraction is more rigid.
  • The ERP (Environmental Resource Permit) issued from SRWMD and the Variances issued by Gilchrist County allows the expansion at this facility: wider ingress and egress (in and out of the facility itself) to accommodate more truck traffic with cars, they want to build two bulk transfer buildings – one for fresh water and one for their wastewater. All of this is about using the entire allocation.
  • We will experience more truck traffic on CR 340 in our neighborhoods, towns and highways, more noise 24/7, more light pollution out in the country and of course the packaging garbage strung from here to the oceans!

We need to implore the Suwannee River Water Management District to protect our most valuable resource from this poaching.  Please take one or two of the points above and send a comment to the District portal.

To make public comments use this link:

https://permitting.sjrwmd.com/srepermitting/jsp/Search.do?theAction=PermitNumSearch

Type 218202 into the box Application/Permit #.

Type 3 into Sequence #.

Click on box for Gilchrist.

Click on Submit

A new page will open and click on the following Permit number:  2-041-218202-3

at bottom of this page are these words To comment or receive notifications  Click on them to post your comment about this permit application.


You may also attend the monthly Suwannee River Water Management Board meetings in Live Oak, 9225 Co Rd 49, Live Oak, FL 32060, at 9 am, the first Tuesday of each month.  You may speak to the board and tell them your opinion.  Many people go and do just this. Public welcome.

ginnie map In: ACTION ALERT | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River

Join OSFR to learn more and get involved. The Santa Fe River has no voice and needs yours! www.oursantaferiver.org

 

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30 Comments

  1. Florida needs a moratorium on water permits. Let existing permits expire and maybe a 40 year grace/ replenish survey at the end. If companies want water, they should be charged by the gallon plus.

  2. We need to protect our natural springs. Nestle has a terrible reputation for devastating where they harvest already. We must block them from doing more irreversible damage to the environment. Florida never had sinkholes this bad until it got popular to suck the water in excess from our aquifers. Go back to draining the water from the mountains…..oh but global warming has just about depleted that source. Is there anyone who does not see the problem here?

  3. Big business seems to think it can do whatever it wants with no consequences. These special and necessary sustain life on so many levels. I oppose and abhor this type of behaviour all across the globe. We need to stop these types of environmental catastrophes across the globe before all of our precious resources are gone forever.

  4. Please deny Nestle’s request to take more water from the Santa Fe River. Not only does this request compromise the health of the river, it encourages consumption of bottled water with all its negative environmental impact.

    Just say no!

  5. Please do not approve permit . I grew up in Florida and swam in Ginnie springs it’s a beautiful place and should be preserved for future generations. If we allow to take from this when does it stop . They will use it until it runs dry . Florida has enough problems already with out adding this to the list . No one owns a spring its give to us all to share , Noone has rights to sell anything from it. Let nature be .

  6. I oppose the taking of our water that is needed to sustain our lives and that of wildlife. That natural resource belongs to all of us and should not be profited from by companies. It is like selling the air we breathe. If we could sell that, sooner or later, there would be no air left. Think about our future and that of future generations. Why would we ever willingly deplete a life-sustaining entity?

  7. This resource is priceless. Once it’s gone there will be no other. The springs are not inexhaustible and outside companies only care about their profits. Please do not allow these water drawouts to continue. Let’s have a future. High Springs can barely stand the large truck traffic it has now, let alone increasing it. I don’t want to see truck backups in High Springs removing our precious water; it’s wrong.

  8. I have a home on the Sante Fe River in 3 Rivers estates. I am very concerned this excessive water withdrawal request from Nestle will damage the Santa Fe River by reducing spring water in the river, further degrading water quality and river flows. 7 springs water never withdrew more than 300,000 gallons daily. Nestle, as a global corporation wants to withdraw 5 times that amount and they have the capacity to actually do it. We have had above average rainfall for the past 7 years, when the next drought occurs Nestle will not reduce their water withdrawals. There are now fields of wasted water bottles in Puerto Rico that were not used, polluting the environment with plastic. Please deny this water withdrawal permit.

  9. For far too long the state of Florida has put profit over people… when will it stop? When will we not fear large companies coming in to steal or destroy our natural resources. Between the constant building of developments, phosphorus mines, oil exploration, nutrient pollution from agriculture, Lake Okeechobee Discharges, and now the threat of our state just GIVING AWAY our most precious resource so a company can turn a profit…. it has become obvious that our representatives only represent their pockets, and not the health of our ecosystems… or the will of it’s people. The only thing Nestle will produce is more plastic pollution. Which is already an almost irreversible issue at this point. Our springs are precious, and should be as protected as an endangered species.

  10. I am a local artist of Gainesville FL. I was born and raised in the Fort White/ High Springs area. I am proud to live where I do and think it is one of the most wonderful places in this country. Allowing any industry to come in and do any harm to our environment is to everyone’s disadvantage. The only thing it promotes is corpute greed. We have seen the environmental effects water bottling companies cause by coming in and pumping out water. It only hurts the environment and the locals that live there. This area of the world is so unique and special. The idea of our springs drying up and the death of wildlife that would come from that breaks my heart. The time to act is now. We must stand up for our earth. As part of the government please do everything you can to stop Nestle from pumping water from our springs and help end the destruction of our earth that corporations are currently doing everywhere. As a citizen I will do as much as I can to help spread awareness and keep our springs natural and clean. It’s up to everyone. Years from now we will all be living on this changing earth together. Your grandchildren will come to you and ask “What did you do to help stop this? What was your part in this mess?” We are writing the story. We have one last chance to save our world. Let’s give the children of our future a good answer and a natural world to live on.

  11. This impacts ALL Floridians living south of this point. Pillaging our most precious resource.
    Let all involved agencies know that this is not acceptable.

  12. Frankly, the fact that anyone needs to make a comment against another nestle fascility pillaging our local aquifers for corporate profits is a disgrace. If the SRWMD actually gives a damn about local water management, this won’t even be a consideration.
    Everyone knows that if the right money goes into the right pockets, then justifications for the offending action will be found, or manufactured.
    Any argument for nestle is an exercise in moral gymnastics.
    We all know right from wrong and so does the SRWMD.

  13. In the past 15 years the City of High Springs has experienced a growth of 66%. As a homeowner on CR 340 for the past 40+ years I have seen an exorbitant amount of traffic speeding pass my residence. This condition requires full time police surveillance to protect our citizens within the city limits, of which I am one. The city is attuned to this situation and periodically stations a police cruiser on CR340. Having semi’s traveling this road above the speed limit is an accident just waiting to happen. My question is how many semi’s do you need to transport 1.152 million gallons a day …….the amount requested by Nestle to the SWRMD.

  14. The water in our springs is not a commodity to make profits on. Please consider the people of the state of Florida as well as our visitors and the animals that reply on these precious water holes over the corporation, Nestle and vote a big NO on this permit. Our springs are more important than Nestles pocketbook.

  15. Do not approve this permit which depletes our Aquifer, River and springs only to provide profits for corporations. We have enough water depletion from Agriculture and Development as it is. It is ludicrous to starve our growing ecotourism industry (kayakers, divers, tourist that come to the area to enjoy the springs) to further the economic growth of large corporations who care not a bit about our Santa Fe River. The Springs are already in danger of disappearing – do not further this pathetic situation.

  16. Merrillee

    2 Pending Individual Water Use Permits are currently filed with SRWMD, and other water well construction permits issued relating to Nestle Waters North America Inc. in Gilchrist County.

    Search SRWMD E-permits in Gilchrist County

    Permit # 2-041-218202-3 (2 MGD), and Permit # 2-041-234401-1 (2 MGD) Nestle Waters High Spring Plant/Gilchrist County, SRWMD Received Date 4/1/2019

    Betty Johnson
    Madison County

  17. Unfortunately, withdrawals such as this one are completely legal under current federal and state law because the Santa Fe River itself has no legal right to exist and to thrive. Even water advocacy groups such as Our Santa Fe River may not be granted legal standing to defend the river. I’m not saying I agree with that situation; I’m simply saying that it is legal under current law. Search out information about “rights of nature,” “SAFEBOR,” and celdf.org to learn why this is so and how we might be able to change it.

  18. I have stood before the SRWMD Board and implored them to cease issuing withdrawal permits for AGRICULTURAL interests, which provide sustenance. That fact underscores the over-pumping issue that plagues our watershed. To even consider allowing a corporate interest to withdraw over 1M GPD with no benefit to those living within the watershed is preposterous. PLEASE do the right thing here and deny this application.

  19. Please do not allow this. The Floridian Aquifer is already tapped out in some area, and our population is increasing. We must not continue to withdraw so much water.

  20. Please don’t destroy one of Florida’s greatest treasures in the name of bulk plastic water bottles that further degrade our planet!

  21. I trust that the board members of the Suwannee River Water Management District are responsible stewards of Florida’s delicate natural freshwater systems. Nestle can request permits, but the WMD knows the value of the Floridan aquifer system and can be trusted to deny those permits. The entire state of Florida has a gift for the present and for future in its unique Floridan aquifer system. The State of California has major drought related problems for its growing population because that state does not have the benefit of an incredible aquifer system like Florida does have. The members of the Suwannee County WMD board are responsible caretakers of their district which is perhaps the most vital of the WMDs to the Floridan aquifer system. I know they are a responsible board because I worked as a newspaper journalist for the Florida Times Union covering Lake City, Live Oak and surrounding North Florida communities and have attended Suwannee County WMD meetings many times at their beautiful facility outside of Live Oak. The facility itself is built to reflect that district’s respect for sensitive development in sensitive areas. The Nestle company is not sensitive and has a reputation for drawing much more water out of the wells they are permitted for. Check out nationally published sources regarding their abuse of their permits in the state of New York and the neighbors of those sites with dry wells because of permit abuse by Nestle. The damage that major producers of bottled waters for retail consumption create is akin to the threat of oil rigs along Florida’s beaches. The threat to the continued health of our pristine drinking water supply in the Florida for future generations needs to headed off. The Suwannee River WMD has the solemn responsibility to protect it, not to balance it with a single land use developer’s money-making scheme. We lifelong Floridians and our descendants trust the Suwannee River WMD to do the right thing. Please insure we can continue that trust placed in you. Saltwater intrusion, decreased water flow to the springs and river, dry wells in the cone of depression, are too serious to play with or to use as bargaining chips in negotiations with out of state corporations.
    Suwannee River WMD, the entire state is watching you and at this point still trusting and appreciating you. Thank you in advance for protecting all of us in the state which is entirely in the down flow of the major aquifer system in the north.

  22. Please say no. Enough is enough. Lets keep our springs healthy and beautiful for us, wildlife and future generations to enjoy.

  23. I grew up on the Santa Fe River. Right between Poe and blue springs. I have seen a significant decline in the health of the springs in my life time. There are multiple factors included but allowing more extraction of this precious natural resources will be devastating to the springs. These natural wonders bring people from around the world to our town. We must protect them for our children and grandchildren. It is not only negligent to allow further water extraction, but it is also a human rights issue when we consider it discrimination to our young people who will be left with a dying ecosystem.

  24. I grew up on the Santa Fe River. Right between Poe springs and blue springs. I have seen a significant decline in the health of the springs in my life time. The biodiversity, flow rates and overall beauty of the springs has taken quite a hit in the last 30 years. If we continue to allow increasing extraction and fail to protect this natural resource we will fail our children and grandchildren. It’s a human rights issue, and I urge those governing bodies that have the power to say no , do just that. Thank you !

  25. For those interested…if you follow the link to make a comment in this easy step by step direction to the SRWMD permit portal that Our Santa Fe River has posted to their website under “News” Action Alert. On the second page opened, once you click on this number 2-041-218202-3, on the left side of screen in the portal, it opens up the permit materials. This gives you the opportunity to understand the workings of such water use permits. It also gives us the opportunity to read all the comments. Please be thoughtful and take time with your response to them. The staff do take the comments seriously, this is not a social media platform. This is not a petition. This is the real government deal. It is serious, say something meaningful. The River needs your voice to speak for it now.

  26. After you post your comment into the Suwannee River Water Management District’s portal for this permit you will get a 404 message error. When you give them an email (I think that is required BTW) then you will get an instant email message on how your comment appeared to the staff for consideration of your opinion.
    THANK YOU for making your comments known to the District, this water use permit can be fought on public opinion as the Statutes state that the water use must be “reasonable and beneficial.” Extracting, bottling, and serving our free public freshwater supply to a commodification corporate scheme is hardly reasonable or beneficial when the Santa Fe River flows and levels are in decline and need to be “Restored.”

  27. This will only lead down the path to disaster. I understand the want for this but these resourses are finite. And saying yes to this could prevent our children/grandchildren from get the benefits and experience of our beautiful natural resources. I really hope those of you involved in this decision say NO.

  28. We do not want Nestle to tap our water for bottled water to be sold in single use plastic bottles that are toxic when exposed to heat. We have a very safe water supply and it comes out of the tap! It is the residents water and should not be given to Nestle. reusable is best. do not degrade our fabulous spring water. This water is already considered impaired please do not it be further degraded.

    1. Water is our most precious resource and belongs to all the people. And Springs are one of Florida’s most unique gems and quite a valuable resource for local economies. Our Springs should be protected to the highest degree and preserved for future generations to enjoy. Nestle is a global company that is depleting water resources around the world to sell and profit from. They should have no right to pump our beautiful spring water into a plastic bottle and sell it for profit. This is criminal and should not be permitted. Please do not approve this permit or they will just keep asking for more.

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