The Levy County Commission is sending a letter to the St. John's Water Management District expressing the board's concern about what it feels is excessive water use in the populous area around Jacksonville.

The commission took the action after Steve Minnis of the Suwannee River Water Management District, gave a report on the “state” of water supplies in the region indicating that the biggest withdrawals are in that area.

“Where we once thought we had an abundance of water, that's no longer true,” Minnis said. He said SRWMD is working with state and federal officials to establish minimum water flows and to push water conservation.

“When it came to long-term draw down, you used to worry about a pipeline from South Florida,” he said. “Well, it's going to the Jacksonville area.”

He said some of the water is also being siphoned off by Georgia. That's because 60 percent of the Suwannee River water basin is in Georgia.

Because of the drawdowns, White Springs no longer flows. “And we're having problems with Worthington.”

He said there would have to be some reduction on the St. John's district's side of the Suwannee basin.

“It seems the SRWMD issues aren't inherently in this district, it's elsewhere,” Commissioner Chad Johnson said. “What is the overall outcome? Who's to blame?”

“It appears it's coming out of the Jacksonville area,” Minnis said. “Unless ground water withdrawals are reduced, it's going to have impacts.”

At the same time, Minnis said the two water district staffs were working to resolve the problem.

Commissioner Lilly Rooks made the motion to send a letter expressing the county's concern to both water district directors. It passed unanimously.

In other business the commission:

• Awarded a  bid to replace the University Oaks Water System hydropneumatic tank for $20,972 from Dixie Tank Co. of Jacksonville. The current tank is not safe to even inspect according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.

• Received a presentation on elder services provided by the Suwannee River Economic Council, Inc. and voted to support the agency which is up for reconsideration of its contract.

    • Approved a request by Albert Fuller of the Levy County Extension Office to spend up to  by $6,000 to purchase a cargo trailer used by youth programs. The trailer that has been used is being taken back by its owner the state Department of Juvenile Justice which no longer funds the youth grant program.

• Received a presentation by Steve Minnis of Suwannee River Water Management District on water conditions and later hekld a workshop on the Nature Coast Regional Water Authority. The commission will consider  joining the authority at its Sept. 22 meeting.

• Approved a request by the Levy County Sheriff’s Office to move $40,000 in contingency money that was designated by the Board for use by the Sheriff’s Office

• Approved a request by Carol McQueen of the Levy County Tourist Development Council for an ad insert costing $2,670 for the Visit Florida Annual Travel Guide

    •Approved county Human Resource Manager Jacqueline Martin’s proposal for a stand-by  employee policy for non-exempt employees.

    •  Approved Solid Waste Director Benny Jerrels’ request for approval to extend the leachate hauling contract for one year as approved in the original contract to Dean Trucking; and  amendments to the schedule of rates, fees and changes for solid waste disposal.

    • Approved an ordinance disbanding the Levy County Archives Committee. The commission also approved donating the $400 in the committee's fund to Haven Hospice.