CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. — With the continued growth in southwest Florida, demand is soaring for necessities like water. One Charlotte, One Water is an initiative in Charlotte County aimed at addressing water quality and the growth.
At a town hall on Wednesday, water quality experts educated the public about the plan to address overall quantity and quality of the water.
The county says it buys water from the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority, while also relying on some wells.
People who live in the county say their drinking water is a concern.
"With the pressure on development and the number of new people coming to Florida, my concern is how to protect what we have," said Bill Rotramel, who lives in Punta Gorda. "What I'm trying to do here is learn what we can all do to help."
The avid boater is also worried about the quality.
Water quality experts say they have grown on this front by adding in monitoring system for water draining into places like the Charlotte Harbor. The county started this part of the overall plan in June 2022.
Aside from drinking water, leaders also discussed storm water.
Many areas are prone to flooding, such as El Jobean, which sits along the Myakka River.
"As I understand from this hearing some of the canals are not so well kept and they have problems with flooding," said Tom Stewart, who lives in Punta Gorda Isles. "I think the key is to have the leaders like today to get the word out, let us know what’s going on."
To look at the county's full plan, click here.
