Here’s the latest on the challenge filed by officials in Polk and Hardee counties to an attempt by the Peace River Manasota Water Supply Authority to double the amount of water it pumps from the Peace River, according to an update provided Thursday to the Polk Regional Water Supply Authority.
Edward delaParte, the Polk group’s lawyer, said the challenge has been assigned to an administrative law judge and is scheduled to be heard in January in Tampa.
In the meantime, lawyers for the parties involved are scheduled to meet later this summer to try to reach a settlement to resolve the issue and reduce legal costs.
PRWSA officials have agreed to spend up to $175,000, the amount delaParte estimated pursuing the case will cost.
The core of Polk’s challenge is that the downstream permit request could, if granted, prevent Polk from seeking a future permit to tap the river for its projected water supply needs.
In the meantime, Polk has applied for permits to tap the Peace River, the Peace Creek and the Alafia River from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
Swiftmud officials have requested more information on Polk’s permit requests before processing them further.