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Central Florida Water Initiative Regional Supply Plan Falls Short in Addressing Region’s Water Woes
At the top of the Greater Everglades watershed, the Central Florida Water Initiative is a multi-county collaboration trying to address the increasing water scarcity of the Greater Orlando area, which because of rapid growth, extreme consumptive use, and overactive drainage, is quickly running out of water.
By Julie Wraithmell
Vice President and Executive Director, Audubon Florida
Published December 10, 2025
This article is from Audubon Florida
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Audubon has been advocating with the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI) for stronger safeguards for aquifers, wetlands, and natural systems, while sounding the alarm that this effort must do more than just list projects if it hopes to succeed — it must actively promote water conservation to build long-term resilience and prevent further ecological harm.
The region’s groundwater withdrawals already exceed sustainable limits; Audubon has urged CFWI to adopt a precautionary approach to further withdrawals as the region grows, quantifying environmental water needs with minimum flows and levels. Most importantly, new development should be supplied with water made available by reduced use elsewhere rather than new groundwater withdrawals. One of the biggest opportunities for water conservation? Reducing excessive lawn irrigation. Audubon is also advocating for stormwater and reclaimed water projects that would protect recharge areas from urban development, evaluate downstream impacts of regional withdrawals and restore ecosystems.
While the CFWI plan approved by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) last month has some good suggestions, its underlying math is still flawed. As long as the region keeps approving consumptive use at rates higher than supply can support, water woes will only continue to grow. The risk is not only to the environment, but to the region’s water security as a whole.
As of December 2025, the plan is pending final approval. Along with SFWMD, the St. Johns River Water Management District has also approved it, but the Southwest Florida Water Management District has not yet. All three districts must approve the plan, which serves as a five-year update to the 2020 plan.
This article original appeared in the Fall 2025 State of the Everglades report. Read the full report here.