Suwannee River Water Management District escalates to Phase Three water restrictions

The Suwannee River Water Management District board voted Tuesday to advance to a Phase Three Water Shortage Order, its most stringent tier of water-use limits. The new restrictions tighten rules on activities such as landscape irrigation across the district’s north-central Florida coverage area.

Sources: WCJB TV20

Water First North Florida reclaimed water project canceled at senator’s request

State Sen. Corey Simon has announced that the Water First North Florida project — a plan to pipe more than 40 million gallons of reclaimed water daily from Jacksonville into the Floridan Aquifer — has been canceled in its current form. Simon called on developers to return with a stronger long-term plan for groundwater protection. Commissioners in Columbia and Union counties said they were pleased with the cancellation, citing unresolved questions about the project’s scope and chemical treatment.

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Sources: WCJB TV20

Newberry residents say Quikrete cement plant blasts damage homes, disrupt daily life

Residents living near a Quikrete cement plant in Newberry report that frequent blasts from the facility cause ongoing noise and dust that damage their homes and interrupt everyday routines. The reporting captures neighbors describing the disturbances as constant and severe, raising questions about the plant’s impact on the surrounding community.

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Sources: The Independent Florida Alligator