by Sarah Pusateri

    Last week, the Marion County Commission voted down it's springs protection ordinance, but commissioners say that saving water is still a top priority. Representatives from the city, county, and state shared their views about what water saving strategies seem to be working and which needed to be revised or removed.

    The issue is a concern to everybody because of the strong reliance on water not only as a source of consumption, but as a source of energy and revenue generation. Florida faces a lot of water challenges including salt water, intrusion, industry,agriculture, and competition for water.

    Currently, State Representative Kurt Kelly is working on a bill which will fund research into desalination plants for the state's long term water supply, with water being being a top priority.

    Pushing the use of water saving toilets and clothes washers and changing the irrigation systems of communities which use excessive water were also options discussed at the meeting. Another idea discussed at the meeting was charging higher prices for the excessive use of water and the possibility of creating legislation to charge water bottling companies to take water from the springs.

    The meeting brought a lot of good ideas, but implementation is the next step.