The Water Management Division (Division) balances the water in four water control districts located in northeastern Broward County. The Division is focused on a management strategy that enhances groundwater recharge to local aquifers, protecting water supply uses and supporting wetlands. As part of this focused approach, Division staff support water supply planning efforts and perform groundwater monitoring and permitting services for Broward County Water and Wastewater Services to assure compliance with state consumptive use permitting and local requirements.
Planning
Southeastern Florida is on the forefront of
active adaptive change. Changes related to sea level rise, frequent, intense wet weather, and drought periods require coordinated water resources planning to implement more sustainable responses. The Division’s planning tasks consist of:
- Providing support to state and local water supply and water resource
comprehensive planning efforts.
- Assisting with the development and review of groundwater/surface water computer model representations to evaluate the effect of predicted sea level rise and climate change on flood control, coastal saline water intrusion, and water supply sustainability.
- Assessing the potential benefits of alternative
water resources such as surface water storage, reclaimed irrigation water and brackish water from the Floridan aquifer.
- Contributing to updates of the County’s
Integrated Water Resources Plan.
- Attending various water resource technical, planning and climate resilience meetings.
Consumptive Use Permits
Broward County water use, both surface water and groundwater, is regulated by the state. Water use permits are issued through the
South Florida Water Management District for various types of water usage. The Division maintains Consumptive Use Permits for Water and Wastewater Services and Water Management allocations of water for public water supply and surface water diversion and impoundment. The Division’s permitting tasks consist of:
- Collection, reporting and analysis of monitoring data in support of three County Public Water Supply permits.
- Collection, reporting and analysis of monitoring data in support of one County surface water Diversion and Impoundment permit.
- Renewal or modification of four consumptive use permits as needed to adjust or incorporate new methodologies or water sources.
