W3C MEETS, MANAGES NEXT STEPS
The Waccasassa Water and Wastewater Cooperative met in Otter Creek on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 1 pm. Both board members were in attendance: Town of Otter Creek Mayor Zim Padgett and Cedar Key Water and Sewer District Member Sue Colson.
CONFLICT RESOLUTION WITH BRONSON
W3C Attorney Norm Fugate introduced Resolution 2026-002, “A Resolution to Initiate Proceedings under Florida Statutes Chapter 164.” This resolution will set in motion a process to resolve the disputes, conflicts, with the Town of Bronson. This includes the disposition of the Department of Environmental Protection / Suwannee River Water Management District-funded well currently on Bronson property. The resolution, after receipt, requires Bronson to enter into the conflict resolution activities within ten days.
The Waccasassa Water and Wastewater Cooperative met in Otter Creek on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 1 pm. Both board members were in attendance: Town of Otter Creek Mayor Zim Padgett and Cedar Key Water and Sewer District Member Sue Colson.
CONFLICT RESOLUTION WITH BRONSON
W3C Attorney Norm Fugate introduced Resolution 2026-002, “A Resolution to Initiate Proceedings under Florida Statutes Chapter 164.” This resolution will set in motion a process to resolve the disputes, conflicts, with the Town of Bronson. This includes the disposition of the Department of Environmental Protection / Suwannee River Water Management District-funded well currently on Bronson property. The resolution, after receipt, requires Bronson to enter into the conflict resolution activities within ten days.
DEWBERRY UPDATE AND DIRECTION
Robert Beltran, PE, DBIA - Vice President, Business Unit Manager, Water Market Segment with Dewberry presented his project update. The PowerPoint presentation is available at https://cedarkeynews.com/index.php/conservation/w3c-will-meet-2026-june-14.
The update contained, among much more detail, the following.
• After the recent withdrawal of Bronson, the Suwannee River Water Management District, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Town of Otter Creek, and the Cedar Key Water and Sewer District, remain steadfastly committed to the Waccasassa Water and Wastewater Cooperative and its mission of regionally providing potable water and proper discharge of wastewater to rural Levy County.
• The W3C must have a well from which to draw water. The well may be the already dug and fully functioning well, owned by the W3C and on Bronson property or the W3C will need to purchase land to develop another well.
• Options include: using the well in Bronson; exploring other locations to place a well, working with Chiefland, or doing none of those things.
• Thus far, all the W3C work of feasibility studies, well digging, management, and more, has been one hundred percent paid for with grants and funding from the SRWMD. Funding sources remain available in the future.
SRWMD AIDS ADMINISTRATION
The Swannee River Water Management District representative Chris Eskelin announced that the SRWMD Governing Board has allocated $50,000 to the W3C for administrative services, such as attorney and secretarial fees and website maintenance.
IN ATTENDANCE:
Staff in attendance included: Attorney Norm Fugate, Dewberry’s Robert Beltran, Secretary Sherrie Yost. Audience members included: Suwannee River Water Management District’s Chris Eskelin, Cedar Key Water and Sewer District’s Joe Hand and Mike Borelli, and Cedar Key News’ Mandy and Frank Offerle.
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