Florida
Keep Up The Fight To Protect The Hillsborough River!
The Lower Hillsborough River Needs Clean, Fresh Water
Clean Water Action is part of the River Alliance, a coalition of groups like, Florida Consumer Action Network, Friends of the River, and Sierra Club who have been voicing their concerns about the dangers of using reclaimed water to augment freshwater flow below the dam at Rowlett Park.
Clean Water Action's members and concerned residents wrote over 800 letters to the Mayor and the City of Tampa expressing their concern for the health of the Hillsborough River. Because of such community outcry, Mayor Iorio said she could not imagine her constituents ever signing off on it.
We need to keep the pressure on!
Join your neighbors in sending an e-mail to the Mayor and City Council.
- Tell them why the River is important to you.
- Tell them to vote no to the use reclaimed water as a replacement for fresh water;
- Tell them it is essential the Lower Hillsborough River have a healthy minimum flow of fresh water of over 30 cubic feet per second.
Be sure to include your name, home address, and ask for a response.
Please copy your e-mail to Mike McCleary (mmccleary@cleanwater.org)
Send your e-mail to:
- Mayor Pam Iorio pam.iorio@tampagov.net
- Council Chair Gwen Miller gwen.miller@tampagov.net
- Councilman Shawn Harrison shawn.Harrison@tampagov.net
- Councilwoman Linda Saul-Sena linda.saul-sena@tampagov.net
- Coucnilman Chip Fletcher chip.fletcher@tampagov.net
- Councilman John Dingfelder john.dingfelder@tampagov.net
- Councilman Frank Reddick frank.reddick@tampagov.net
- Councilwoman Mary Alvarez mary.alvarez@tampagov.net
Background
The debate continues in the Tampa area about allowing the withdrawal of 13 million gallons of water a day from the lower Hillsborough River to be pumped into Tampa's reservoir.
Tampa Bay Water and the City of Tampa have proposed to replace the river water with partially treated wastewater while setting no standard for minimum flow which is vital to maintaining healthy levels of dissolved oxygen in the river.
Over 800 letters from Clean Water Action members and concerned residents of the City of Tampa have been sent to Mayor Lorio to save the Lower Hillsborough River, but the fight's not over. Soon the Southwest Florida Water Management District will release the final study for the minimum flow in the Lower River. The City still will have their say on whether to use reclaimed water or fresh water to augment water downstream.
Meanwhile... is the Hillsborough River getting saltier? With less fresh water allowed over the dam each year, more salt water flows up river from the bay. Recently, some riverside residences have spotted dolphins, among other saltwater marine animals, in the River as far as nine miles upstream from Hillsborough Bay. It may be a sign we are at a crossroads in protecting the River's marine plants and animals. Many species need fresh water to spawn and grow. Increased salt levels will effect future generations of marine life who rely on fresh and brackish water conditions.
For more information contact Mike McCleary at our Tampa Office (813) 980-1221 or mmccleary@cleanwater.org
