Water sustains our families, economy, environment, and food supply. Although water is our most precious natural resource, it is also the one we take most for granted.

As Speaker of the Florida House, I made water policy a top priority, focusing on modernizing our water laws and investing in projects to address our quality and supply challenges.

Despite the significant progress we made, Florida remains gripped in a seemingly intractable water crisis. Why does toxic algae remain so persistent, and where do we go from here are questions on every Floridian’s mind.

Unfortunately, there are no quick fixes. Restoring water quality and expanding supply take time and constant vigilance.

Consider that today, Florida is home to 21 million people. We get 1,000 new neighbors daily. We will have nearly 30 million residents by 2030. That means as a state, we must address our water challenges every single day to succeed.Population growth in Central Florida, for example, means more nutrients trickling down to Lake Okeechobee in South Florida, sparking algae blooms and harmful discharges.