The price you pay for water is going to rise. How much your water rate increases is now in the hands of your elected city and county officials.

Local governments that agree to buy water from the Peace River Water Authority will receive the cheapest water. Local governments that insist on building and owning their own water supply will cause their citizens to pay higher prices for water.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District made clear last week that all counties and cities must turn over their future water projects to the Peace River Water Authority in order to receive SWIFTMUD funding that pays up to half the cost of all eligible projects. Common sense also tells us that large regional water projects, with economies of scale, can provide water much cheaper than small projects.

This means if your city or county insists on developing, owning and controlling future water projects, then you will pay a much higher price for water. Here's some potential examples.

Sarasota County commissioners have suggested Cowpen Slough, located in Sarasota, should be kept as a Sarasota County-owned water project. Charlotte County commissioners may have indicated the Babcock water would be for Charlotte County citizens and not for the region as a whole. The city of Punta Gorda appears to have suggested that Shell Creek water belongs to the people of Punta Gorda and to no one else.

What SWIFTMUD correctly stated is that we have a regional water problem which needs to be solved in a regional way. It may be hard for someone in Punta Gorda to understand, but the Shell Creek water does not belong to the people of Punta Gorda or Charlotte County.

SWIFTMUD has now made it clear water belongs to all the people of Florida. Some county commissioners vocalized their disappointment with SWIFTMUD's action. Those speeches are for the public because elected officials already understand that SWIFTMUD is merely implementing the will of the state Legislature.

While it is certainly possible the future could call for a change in the authority staff, the first place change is needed is at the board level. Each county has reserved the right to veto any Peace River Water Authority project inside their boundaries. The board members representing the counties should now publicly commit any water resources inside their boundaries to be available to the Peace River Water Authority in whatever priority the authority deems.

Fortunately, SWIFTMUD and the state Legislature have made this decision easier. Either get committed to the program or ask your citizens to pay the price in the form of higher priced water.

Once the board members commit to sharing all water inside their boundaries, then the authority staff can be accurately evaluated.

DeSoto County Commissioner Jerry Hill has said everyone needs to learn to work together if this new system is going to work. "If there is disagreement among ourselves, how is staff going to be able to move forward on anything?"

Well said, Commissioner Hill.

Share your thoughts.

http://www.sun-herald.com/NewsArchive2/041006/ew5.htm?date=041006&story=ew5.htm