Save the Stingray too!
 
Little Known Fact
Did you know that only place in North America to find the freshwater stingray is in the St. John's River and the St. Johns River populations are unique because they are the only known populations of the Atlantic stingray that reproduce and complete their life cycle in a freshwater environment.
Will they still be around after the government siphons off the surface water? Will they or their food supply still exist?
Don't we have an obligation to preserve this creature?
Recently in a telephone interview, he said that Lake George is a gold mine that has never been studied. 
When he was studying the stingray and catching them in Lake George he was frequently catching additional species of fishes that were completely unexpected for a freshwater lake.
We add: There are so many varieties of species in this fragile eco-system that to tamper with it's salinity content or reduce the flow of the river into it will cause unknown consequences. 
We should study this "one of a kind" system before we disturb or destroy it.

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Florida Water Crisis
Before the government starts spending millions upon millions of dollars to pump water along pipelines from rivers and lakes from one part of Florida to another, maybe we should actually start measuring the amount being pumped out of the ground and making the users pay per gallon.
All across Florida, there are wells that have no meters. 
Businesses and property owners just pump the water as they desire with no consequences. No government entity is measuring how much water is being pumped from our aquifer. Sometimes the wells service the entire property and sometimes they are just used for sprinklers and sometimes the pumps get the water directly from canals, rivers and lakes.
In addition, well users do not pay for the water. 
Right, not only is it not measured, but it is FREE. Where is the incentive to conserve under this system? There is none.
If you live in an area that is serviced by your county or private water utility, you are charged for the water you take via your trusty water meter. But if you have a well, no one is looking at your usage.
If we don't accurately know how much water is being pumped out of the aquifer, and who is pumping it, and who is paying for their water and who is getting it free....
How can we legitimately plan for long pipelines and desalinization plants?
It's time to make changes:
1. Put meters on all wells.
This can be easily paid for by the revenue gained by charging these users for the water they pump. 
Yes, start charging well owners for every gallon pumped out of the aquifer!
2. Setting a minimum price for water usage throughout the state.
3. Creating a tiered pricing system for usage rates: the more you use, the higher your rate per gallon.

Won't you help push this idea forward?
Contact your local and state government leaders and tell them you support
"Meters on all wells" 
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"Everyone must pay for water, no free pumping"
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"Tiered water pricing based on usage".
This is not rocket science, it is common sense!
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Here are some tips to help get your ideas out:
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Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.
Guess what??? 
It will almost always be published!
Look up your local newspaper web site and find the "letters to the editor" submission page.

Don't be shy - put it down on paper. In your words.
Don't rush it, type it, review it, keep it a day or two, and read it again, edit it, find some facts to support your ideas and then send it in.

This is a great way to help educate others.

Does your community have a newsletter? Type up a short article. Steal info from our web site! Please!
How about a bulletin board?
Stick up a notice, a warning, refer folks to our web site, just try something.

Over dinner with friends....bring up the subject.

Neighborhood meeting...talk about it.

In Volusia County:
To send a letter to the Daytona News Journal, start by clicking here
To send a letter to the West Volusia Beacon Newspaper, start by clicking here

Buy and Read
Cynthia Barnett's Book "Mirage"
"Mirage is the finest general study to date of the freshwater-supply crisis in Florida."