American Water Security Project

07/01/2026

Congressman Mike Haridopolos recently announced a $1 million federal grant that will help fund a major sewage system upgrade in Indian River County. Investments like this are fundamental in protecting Florida's fragile waterways, while serving our growing population.

Thanks, Rep. Haridopolos!

A $1 million federal grant will help fund a $20.8 million sewage upgrade in Indian River County's Ixora Park community.

04/22/2026

As South Florida faces historic drought and murmurs of dwindling water supplies state wide, the Water First North Florida project suggests treating wastewater to drinking water standards to replenish local waterways, rivers, and aquifers.

12/16/2024

Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson Launches $5M Grant Program to Support Energy Efficiency at Water and Wastewater Treatment Facilities. This is great news for Florida's waters.

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

10/04/2024

The DOH advisory was sent out on Thursday, the day Hurricane Helene passed Southwest Florida and made landfall in the Big Bend area.

"The Florida Department of Health in Lee County is advising the public not to enter the water due to the possible increased risk of water-borne illness," the release reads. "Swimming is not recommended."

The Florida Department of Health in Lee County issued an alert for Southwest Florida residents and visitors, warning the public to stay away from local waters.

09/16/2024

Septic tanks or failed wastewater infrastructure or both?

Inorganic nitrogen levels were elevated in urbanized estuaries and the Kissimmee River, which extends north through the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes to the greater Orlando area, and its water flows into Lake Okeechobee. Furthermore, the expanding urbanization in Orlando was identified as a contributing factor to the increasing prevalence of these blooms in Lake Okeechobee.

'Strategies focused only on reducing phosphorus aren’t sufficient.'

08/19/2024

With Tourism one of Florida's greatest economic engines, is the state and local communities doing enough to protect our water ways?

Beating the heat in the US is a little harder this summer than it used to be: E. coli and cyanobacteria are causing widespread beach closures at lakes and rivers. It’s a problem exacerbated by climate change-fueled warmer waters and more prolific downpours, which are creating perfect conditions for bacteria to flourish.

What should Florida do?

Climate change is warming once-cool lakes and reservoirs, fueling a rise in dangerous bacteria outbreaks and algae blooms.

08/09/2024

As Hurricane Debby drenched Florida, due to antiquated and failing wastewater infrastructure, not to mention the 1000s of septic tanks flooded, the west coast realized an epic overflow of sewage dumps into its ecosystems.

Find your community's dumps here.

The rainfall from Hurricane Debby overloaded sewage systems and treatment plants across the Tampa Bay region.

07/29/2024

“The deteriorating conditions in the Indian River Lagoon demonstrate the urgent need for more comprehensive mitigation actions as fertilizer ordinances are not likely to be a standalone solution,” said Rachel Brewton, corresponding author and a research scientist at FAU Harbor Branch. “Our data indicate a primary role of human waste influence in the lagoon, which suggests that current management actions have been insufficient at mitigating environmental pollution.”

FAU Harbor Branch researchers compared water quality in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon “pre” and five-years “post” fertilizer bans, revealing sewage, not fertilizer is the root cause of environmental issues.

07/12/2024

American Water Security Project Executive Director and Florida TaxWatch CEO urge continued reasoned taxpayer funding and prioritization of Florida's state water infrastructure projects.

Florida lacks one vital approach — a long-term water project work plan, as recommended by Florida TaxWatch. With 76% of Floridians living in vulnerable coastal zones, with sewer infrastructure investment backlogs in the many tens of billions, and with 30% of Floridians relying upon septic tanks that leech into our coastal waters daily, we are in the throes of a self-made disaster that requires a systemic, aggressive and financially prudent playbook to resolve these overlapping issues.

But torrential rains and torrents of earmarks highlight the need for Florida to have a statutory water infrastructure plan.

07/08/2024

Broward's aggressive approach a model for the state?

Broward has eliminated 16,424 septic tanks, according to county officials. Many more adjustments are on the way. septic systems “were not originally designed with the assumption that groundwater levels would rise gradually over time, and as a result may not be functioning as they were originally designed,” said Dania Beach Deputy City Manager Candido Sosa‑Cruz.

Thoughts?

South Floridia homes still using septic tanks are slowly being phased into sewer connections as water experts say the inevitable change is needed to protect the environment.