Why Marco Needs Clean Water Amendment

With a Right to Clean and Healthy Waters (RTCHW), Floridians could file suit, and our courts, after reviewing the evidence, could order the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to enforce standards and implement long overdue Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs). We could begin restoring Florida’s water quality.

Florida waters are polluted because the state permits it through action or inaction, and its MO is to allow as much pollution as is politically acceptable.

Here on Marco Island, the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) is allowed to dump unlimited amounts of pollutants in the form of nitrogen and phosphorus into the waterways in the “reuse” or “reclaimed” water. FDEP conveniently lowered the limits for oxygen impairment in 2013 by 50% making it that much harder to declare the Marco waterways impaired for oxygen, thus assisting the WWTP in the pollution of the Marco waters.

In Collier County 21 of the 22 watersheds have no pollution limits established at all and all the WWTP that the county manages are allowed unlimited pollution of these water bodies. The state permits the pollution of the county water bodies without restriction. We have a real problem.

In 2023, we need what the state will not provide: bold environmental action to restore and protect our waters. Floridians, therefore, must qualify a “Right to Clean and Healthy Waters” amendment for the 2024 ballot for approval by voters.

Sign and mail the petition available at floridarighttocleanwater.org.