State Acquisition of 2,500 Acres Will Protect Future Manatee Drinking Water Source

MANATEE COUNTY — On Tuesday, state leaders approved the purchase of nearly 2,500 acres to help protect a crucial future drinking water source for Manatee County.

The Florida Department of Agriculture's Rural and Family Lands Protection Program will pay for the $9.4 million acquisition of a conservation easement on ranch lands on Oak Creek in Hardee County, a tributary of the Peace River, which delivers around 26 million gallons per day to nearly 1 million Floridians.

The deal was arranged by the Florida Conservation Group, a non-profit whose "goal is to ensure that conservation is both science-based and economically viable and to keep Florida’s natural and agricultural lands intact."

Manatee County currently supplies drinking water from Lake Manatee and wells that connect to an aquifer in east county. However, long-term planning has always included tapping into Peace River as the population continues to grow.

Manatee has been a member of the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority since its inception in 1982 and holds a seat on its board.