Governor Ron DeSantis has announced over $112 million in grants to improve water quality and supply across Florida. The funding package includes $50 million for 14 alternative water supply projects, another $50 million for 23 projects focused on restoring the state’s freshwater springs, and $12 million for 16 technology initiatives targeting harmful algal blooms.
“My administration has made historic investments in protecting our water resources,” said Governor DeSantis. “Florida is a leader in water resource protection, and we will continue to deliver results and act as responsible stewards of our resources.”
Alexis A. Lambert, Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), stated: “Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, our decisions are driven by science and long-term stewardship. The funding announced today will help communities secure reliable water supplies, improve water quality and better respond to environmental challenges. These investments reflect our commitment to protecting the resources that support our economy and our way of life.”
The alternative water supply funding will support projects expected to generate more than 94 million gallons of new daily water supply when operational. These efforts aim to expand reclaimed water use, enhance aquifer recharge, and promote conservation.
Drew Bartlett, Executive Director of the South Florida Water Management District, commented: “The South Florida Water Management District continues to prioritize the health of our waterways and reduce nutrient pollution such as excess nitrogen and phosphorus. These awards help conserve our precious water resources while meeting the state’s water needs. Partnering with local governments and other entities to conserve and reuse fresh water is an important and effective way to help accomplish this goal. Thank you, Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for prioritizing these investments that will create infrastructure projects to improve the environment and our water resources.”
Brian Armstrong from Southwest Florida Water Management District added: “Developing alternative water supplies requires long-term planning and is critical to meeting the projected population growth and associated water supply demands in our region. We are grateful to Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for their leadership and foresight in prioritizing the development of alternative water supplies.”
Mike Register from St. Johns River Water Management District said: “Florida continues to demonstrate real leadership in securing a resilient water supply for our future. This $50 million investment reflects a forward-thinking commitment to expanding sustainable, alternative water supplies.”
Hugh Thomas from Suwannee River Water Management District noted: “Florida continues to lead the way in developing proactive solutions to meet our growing water needs. By maximizing the use of alternative water sources, we are ensuring smart, sustainable growth in North Florida.”
Lyle Seigler from Northwest Florida Water Management District stated: “A commitment to alternative water supply projects not only helps protect our precious natural resources but it shows innovative thinking on the part of our state leaders. We look forward to implementing projects that will protect our water resources for years to come.”
Since 2019, more than $335 million has been invested in similar projects statewide.
The springs restoration component includes funding for wastewater upgrades aimed at reducing Total Nitrogen by over 100,000 pounds per year through land acquisitions or infrastructure improvements such as septic-to-sewer conversions.
Notable grants include nearly $3 million toward Newberry’s septic-to-sewer conversion project benefiting Santa Fe River; $1 million allocated for land acquisition supporting Rainbow River; approximately $1.6 million directed at Inverness’ sewer extension; plus over $6 million designated for Wakulla County’s continued septic-to-sewer work benefiting Wakulla Spring.
Since 2019, about $430 million has gone toward springs restoration across 147 projects statewide.
For combating harmful algal blooms—an ongoing environmental challenge—the governor awarded $12 million for new technology deployments including monitoring tools designed both for rapid response during bloom events as well as predictive modeling systems.
Dr. Mark Rains, Chief Science Officer at DEP remarked: “By investing in emerging technologies, we are expanding our scientific capacity to better understand and manage harmful algal blooms. These projects integrate real-time monitoring, predictive modeling, and field-scale treatment systems to improve how we forecast bloom conditions and implement rapid mitigation strategies. The result is a more data-driven, adaptive approach to protecting Florida’s aquatic ecosystems.”
Since its establishment following recommendations from the Blue-Green Algae Task Force in 2019, this program has received around $75 million supporting dozens of initiatives across Florida.
A full list of grant-funded projects can be found at ProtectingFloridaTogether.gov/Grants.
