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HomeMy WebLinkAbout16.c FYI BoS Memo Johnston SJRWMD Comments �.� COUn,T CLAY COUNTY UTILITY AUTHORITY MEMORANDUM `01'nuTNo' TO: Board of Supervisors FROM: Jeremy D. Johnston, MBA, PE, Executive Dir- DATE: October 13, 2023 RE: Remarks to the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) Governing Board I attended the meeting of the SJRWMD Governing Board on Tuesday, October 10, 2023. I am providing below the remarks I made to the SJRWMD Governing Board for your information. As always, I am available if you have any questions. "Good morning, Chairman and Governing Board Members. On behalf of our Board of Supervisors and the entire CCUA team,thank you for allowing me time to speak regarding the North Florida Regional Water Supply Plan Project Conceptualization. I begin by thanking, on behalf of CCUA and the other utilities, the St. Johns and Suwanee River Water Management District staffs on their work developing the North Florida Regional Water Supply Plan. We understand your staff have invested significant amounts of time and effort developing the plan. The effort to begin a North Florida Regional Water Supply Plan Project Conceptualization began from a meeting on April 7th. This meeting was a discussion between the SJRWMD, SRWMD, FDEP, JEA, GRU, SJCUD, and CCUA. We asked how we can work together to address several challenges that are converging. Specifically, we discussed our collective desires to address MFLs, meet zero surface water discharge requirements, provide long-term stability related to Consumptive Use Permitting, and capital infrastructure planning. From the April 7th meeting, we have collaboratively developed the scope of services and the cooperative funding agreement being considered today. The cooperative funding agreement between CCUA and the SJRWMD provides the funding mechanism for participation by SJRWMD, SRWMD, and the FDEP. A Memorandum of Agreement between CCUA, JEA, GRU, and the SJCUD to fund the utility portion is already in motion. CCUA's Board of Supervisors has approved these agreements. When all the agreements are signed, we stand ready to schedule the kick-off meeting to commence this effort. We find ourselves at a unique moment in time. By bringing together some of the best professional experts across our respective organizations, we have an opportunity to sustainably solve some big challenges our region faces. By working collaboratively between state agencies,utilities, and other stakeholders, we can identify key large-scale capital projects that will connect water surpluses to CLAY COUNTY UTILITY AUTHORITY G1• MEMORANDUM //,. A uvi°�` water deficits. We have an opportunity to truly interconnect water resources allowing our great state the ability to sustainably manage those resources. CCUA stands in support of this Cooperative Funding Agreement and the North Florida Regional Water Supply Plan Project Conceptualization effort this Agreement represents. Thank you for your consideration." cc: File