Water Well Journal
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/655200
program, has been working on CUPcon since 2011. The CUP/WUP program is one of the regulatory programs created by Florida's Water Resources Act, passed in 1972. Water management districts are directed to regulate the use of groundwater and surface water by requiring permits for the withdrawal and consumptive use of larger quantities of water—quantities exceeding specified threshold amounts. But over the years each district created different rules regulating the CUP/WUP program despite all districts operating under the same statutory authority for the program. Soon after Governor Rick Scott became governor in 2011, he directed the DEP to carry out its legal obligation to super- vise the districts to achieve greater statewide consistency, which led to CUPcon. The DEP and districts worked toward a more cohesive system and increased consistency by meeting with stakeholders, organizing workgroup meetings for stake- holders to develop solutions, and distribute amendments to the rules implementing the CUP/WUP program. All five water management districts adopted more consistent Consumptive Use Permit rules in 2014. The current state of well permitting sits squarely on the mind of Partridge, who is serving as this year's president of the Florida Ground Water Association. The association was organized in 1935 and currently has more than 600 members. Partridge is struggling to make sense of consistency efforts regarding applying a rule of a large diameter well (6 inches or larger at land surface) to all size wells drilled throughout the districts. There is more paperwork required to file a permit ap- plication for a large sized well, he says, so this may create a lengthy process, whereas a well less than 6 inches in diameter currently requires a one-page permit application. In Partridge's area, you may have to drill a well with 6- inch casing at the surface to obtain a 3-inch well into the aquifer. He says the well should be permitted based on the restricting factor, which is the smallest water-bearing casing, not the casing at the surface. "The governor is really pushing consistency throughout the state in permitting regulations," Partridge says, "and we sup- port that to an extent, but because of the difference in geology and the difficulties in certain areas and uniqueness of drillers with the way they do things throughout the state, it's hard to say a one size fits all application is really beneficial. "There is a happy medium between the two and we're struggling to find that." On behalf of the FGWA, Partridge spoke with the DEP and all the water management districts earlier this year. "We're on board with consistency," he says, "but at some point, the returns on consistency do not make sense if it makes it more difficult for the contactor who is really the person you're trying to be consistent for. "We're trying to get everyone on the same page and a lot of people have opinions they've held on to for quite a bit of time, and it's hard to change those opinions. The governor's office is also putting influence on the DEP and those govern- ment bodies to make things happen. Some people are going the direction they want to with that." The DEP holds workgroup meetings in conjunction with the FGWA's quarterly membership meetings throughout the state. Water well contractors, the five water management dis- tricts, some county health departments, the Florida Depart- ment of Health, and the DEP all have representatives present. "These meetings are extremely valuable to the water well drilling industry," Partridge says. "The workgroup discusses everything from permitting, rules and regulations for water wells, and other issues that could impact Florida's groundwater. "We recently started to have discussions regarding con- sumptive use permitting consistency. While the discussions have been productive, we have not come to a consensus yet." As these efforts continue, the Southwest Florida Water Management District in Tampa is unique in it is the only district to have a Well Drillers Advisory Committee. It was created in 1970 to provide two-way communication between the district and the water well contractors. Every revision to the district's regulation of water well rules is provided to the WDAC at meetings for discussion and approval. The district views water well contractors as their "eyes and ears" of the Floridan aquifer system, according to David N. Arnold, PG, well construction manager, Water Use Bureau, for the Southwest Florida Water Management District in Tampa. Arnold says he's heard interest from other water manage- ment districts in creating similar advisory committees. Central Florida Water Initiative In 2013, the Central Florida Water Initiative was created to protect, conserve, and restore water resources in a 5300- square-mile area. A variety of stakeholders are involved with the initiative, including the DEP, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the state's three largest water man- agement districts (Southwest Florida Water Management District, St. Johns River Water Management District, South Florida Water Management District). In central Florida, water pumped from the Floridan aquifer system serves about 2.7 million residents and also supports a large tourist industry, farming operations, and a business com- munity. The population in some areas is projected to increase by almost 50% by the year 2035. However, as the central Florida population increased by more than 1 million people over the past 15 years, the overall water use has basically stayed the same, according to the Central Florida Water Initiative. The CFWI says much of that Partridge Well Drilling, established in 1892, has about 40 employ- ees. Pictured are most of Partridge Well Drilling's managers. Merritt Partridge is second from left. Photos courtesy Partridge Well Drilling. AQUIFERS continues on page 20 WWJ April 2016 19 Twitter @WaterWellJournl