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Water Infrastructure Projects are Vital

Develop and Fund a 3-5 Year Strategic Work Program

Water Infrastructure Strategic Plan Report Cover

Florida faces a $160.5 billion water infrastructure funding gap through 2040, according to this Florida TaxWatch analysis. The report calls for a strategic 3-5 year work program to prioritize critical water projects, mirroring the state’s successful transportation planning model. Key findings reveal:

  • $201.5 billion needed for stormwater/wastewater infrastructure through 2040
  • ASCE grades Florida’s water systems: Wastewater (C), Stormwater (C-), Drinking Water (C)
  • 910 local water projects ($1.1B) funded via legislative earmarks in past 5 years
  • $11.6 billion required for water quality compliance by 2043

The analysis highlights successful models like FDOT’s Five-Year Work Program and the Resilient Florida Grant Program, recommending a coordinated statewide system to:

  • Prioritize projects using objective criteria
  • Create multi-year funding certainty
  • Require local matching funds (waived for disadvantaged communities)
  • Integrate 268 annual member projects into structured planning

With water demand projected to outpace supply by 14% by 2040, the report urges adoption of a strategic funding mechanism to address Florida’s $90.5 billion unfunded water infrastructure needs.

Meet the Authors:

Kurt Wenner
Kurt Wenner
Senior Vice President of Research
LinkedIn
Meg Cannan
Meg Cannan
Senior Research Analyst
LinkedIn

Documents to download

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