STORAGE NAME: h0661a.NRD
DATE: 4/1/2025
1
FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
BILL ANALYSIS
This bill analysis was prepared by nonpartisan committee staff and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
BILL #: CS/HR 661
TITLE: One Water Approaches to Water Resource
Management
SPONSOR(S): Albert
COMPANION BILL: SR 1846 (Truenow)
LINKED BILLS: None
RELATED BILLS: None
Committee References
Natural Resources & Disasters
16 Y, 0 N, As CS
State Affairs
SUMMARY
Effect of the Bill:
The resolution encourages One Water approaches to water resource management and the use of collaborative,
integrated, resilience systems approaches to planning for and funding water resource projects.
Fiscal or Economic Impact:
None.
JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
ANALYSIS
EFFECT OF THE BILL:
The resolution specifies that the House of Representatives encourages One Water approaches to water resource
management and the use of collaborative, integrated, resilience systems approaches to planning for and funding
water resource projects.
RELEVANT INFORMATION
SUBJECT OVERVIEW:
One Water Approaches
The one water approach aims to integrate green infrastructure into communities for stormwater management,
create an integrated approach across watersheds for water resources, and facilitate communication and
partnership between rural and urban communities.
1 Additionally, the Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) encourages and highlights the benefits of using recycled water as part of its one water initiative.
2 The
initiative is a partnership between DEP, the state’s five water management districts (WMDs), and statewide water
associations.
3 The aim of the initiative is to promote the reuse of water for drinking, cooking, or bathing to ensure
that the state can maintain its water supply as the population increases.
4
1
U.S. Water Alliance, One Water Road Map (2016), available at https://uswateralliance.org/wp-
content/uploads/2023/09/Roadmap-FINAL_0.pdf (last visited Mar. 19, 2025).
2
DEP, One Water Florida, https://floridadep.gov/southwest/sw-permitting/campaign/one-water-florida (last visited Mar. 17,
2025).
3
Id. The other partners of the initiative include the Florida section of the American Water Works Association, the Potable
Reuse Commission, the Florida Water Environment Association, and WateReuse Florida. Id.
4
Id. DEP, Recycled Water: Safely Supplying Florida’s Future, available at
https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/Recycled%20Water_General%20PPT%20WEB_1.pdf (last visited Mar. 17, 2025). JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
2
State Water Supply
Florida's water supply comes from systems of rivers, streams, wetlands, lakes, springs, aquifers, and estuaries.
5
The fresh water supply is used for public water supply, agricultural irrigation, commercial and industrial use,
domestic and small public supply, recreational irrigation, and power generation.
6 It is possible for these uses to
lower the flows and levels of water bodies to a point that the resource values are significantly harmed.
7 To prevent
this harm, DEP and the WMDs are responsible for identifying and establishing the limit at which further
withdrawals would be significantly harmful to the water resources or ecology of the area.
8 According to DEP,
Floridians across the state use nearly 6.4 billion gallons of water per day.
9 It is anticipated that, as the population of
the state grows, an additional 1 billion gallons of water will be used per day by 2040.
10
Reclaimed Water
Reclaimed water is wastewater that has been disinfected
11 and has received treatment sufficient to achieve certain
effluent limitations so that the resulting high-quality water may then be reused for beneficial purposes.
12 DEP
establishes effluent limitations, which are limits on chemical, physical, biological, or other constituents that are
discharged into waters of the state.
13
Reuse of Reclaimed Water
Reuse of reclaimed water can replace using potable water in certain circumstances, allowing the state to conserve
potable water.
14 This is particularly important for Florida because the majority of the population lives near the
coast where groundwater supplies are limited and are particularly vulnerable to saltwater intrusion.
15 Florida is a
national leader in water reuse, and in 2023, at least 891 million gallons per day (mgd) of reclaimed water were
used for beneficial purposes.
16 Using 891 mgd of reclaimed water is estimated to have avoided the use of over 154
billion gallons of potable-quality water while adding more than 94 billion gallons back to available ground water
supplies.
17
Green Infrastructure
Green infrastructure increases adaptive capacity in communities experiencing flooding, heat waves, and water
quality challenges.
18 Where site conditions allow, green infrastructure can be designed to soak water into the
ground, which can increase the recharge rates of groundwater, helping to replenish groundwater reserves and
maintain stream flows.
19 Increasing groundwater recharge can help mitigate the impacts of drought events as well
as the effects of urbanization and increased impervious cover.
20
Resolutions
Resolutions are not subject to action by the Governor and do not have the effect of law.
5
Id.
6
Id.
7
DEP, Minimum Flows and Minimum Water Levels and Reservations, https://floridadep.gov/owper/water-
policy/content/minimum-flows-and-minimum-water-levels-and-reservations (last visited Mar. 19, 2025).
8
Id.
9
DEP, One Water Florida, https://floridadep.gov/southwest/sw-permitting/campaign/one-water-florida (last visited Mar. 19,
2025).
10
Id.
11
“Disinfection” means the selective destruction of pathogens in wastewater effluents, reclaimed water, and biosolids. Rule
62-600.200(18), F.A.C.
12
Section 373.019(17), F.S.
13
Section 403.031(3), F.S.
14
DEP, Reuse Facts, https://floridadep.gov/water/domestic-wastewater/content/reuse-facts (last visited Mar. 19, 2025).
15
Id.
16
DEP, Florida’s Reuse Activities, https://floridadep.gov/water/domestic-wastewater/content/floridas-reuse-activities (last
visited Mar. 19, 2025).
17
Id.
18
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Environmental Benefits of Green Infrastructure,
https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure/environmental-benefits-green-infrastructure (last visited Mar. 19, 2025).
19
Id.
20
Id. JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
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OTHER RESOURCES:
Map of Recycled Water Projects in the State
DEP FAQ on Water Reuse
BILL HISTORY
COMMITTEE REFERENCE ACTION DATE
STAFF
DIRECTOR/
POLICY CHIEF
ANALYSIS
PREPARED BY
Natural Resources & Disasters
Subcommittee
16 Y, 0 N, As CS 4/1/2025 Moore Gawin
THE CHANGES ADOPTED BY THE
COMMITTEE:
Specified that the House of Representatives encourages, instead of
expresses support for, one water approaches to water resource
management.
Removed the sources of water considered in the One Water approach.
State Affairs Committee
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THIS BILL ANALYSIS HAS BEEN UPDATED TO INCORPORATE ALL OF THE CHANGES DESCRIBED ABOVE.
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