Riverkeeper and callers ask county to join regional opposition to Water First North Florida project

During public comment on May 12, conservation advocates urged the Alachua County Commission to pass a resolution opposing the Water First North Florida project, which some speakers said would route treated wastewater into the Suwannee Basin.

John Quarterman, who identified himself as the Suwannee Riverkeeper, asked the commission to pass the same kind of resolution already adopted by several neighboring counties and to consider alternatives such as aquifer recharge wells or reduced withdrawals by large municipal users. “I strongly recommend that this body pass such a resolution because y'all are...the 800‑pound gorilla in the Suwannee Basin,” Quarterman said, noting prior local votes opposing the project.

A caller from Brantford, Hailey Hall, echoed the request and urged the county to adopt a moratorium on the project and to export county programs that reduce urban irrigation to nearby jurisdictions. Hall also asked the county to consider a moratorium on new non‑municipal detention centers and said she had provided a sample resolution from another city.

Commissioners directed staff to evaluate the request and return with options; staff indicated they would bring the matter back to the board in early June for further consideration and referred the request to appropriate councils and task forces.