By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

                Bronson Mayor Robert Partin secured permission from the town council Monday to research how Bronson could sell drinking water to two Levy County communities that are struggling to find good water.

            Partin said the cities of Cedar Key and Otter Creek have long experienced problems providing good drinking water to their citizens, but a proposal has surfaced for Bronson to provide water to both communities.

            Recently a group of officials from Cedar Key, Bronson, Otter Creek, and the county met in a roundtable discussion to talk about how a water pipeline could potentially be extended from Bronson to the other cities.

            While planning for the project is in its infancy and details about the proposal are skimpy, town council members voted unanimously to give Partin the freedom to explore the proposal.

            All three cities are connected by State Road 24 but only Bronson has a quality drinking water supply. Bronson is about 32 miles from Cedar Key. Piping water that distance would be challenging.

            Partin said he wants to get in touch with the necessary state and regional agencies to begin exploring ways to make the project happen. He said the cost of the project, possibly $30 million, would probably be funded by grants.

            “It’s not just we’re going to be pumping water to Cedar Key. We need to facilitate bids. There needs to be a study done on it. Cedar Key Mayor Heath Davis has been working diligently on this,” Partin said. “We have multiple organizations calling us on this about their interest in it and how we can do it; how can they assist with this program.”

            The Suwannee River Water Management District has an interest in the project.

            Cedar Key Water and Sewer Superintendent James McCain sat at the back of the Bronson Town Council meeting room Monday night listening to the proposal offered by Partin. He said the city is extremely interested in what is being proposed.

            “We cannot meet the DEP standards for our water. We’ve been trying for years,” McCain said. “We decided we needed to try to do something else. That’s what we’re here for. Our engineers have not come up with a solution to meet DEP standards.”

            McCain said the city resolved its problem with saltwater intrusion. He said the problem lies with the city’s water well about three miles outside the city limits off County Road 347. The water isn’t of high enough quality to meet state standards.

            Otter Creek also has impurities in its water. The treatment process hasn’t produced quality water. Otter Creek talked to Bronson officials a number of years ago about buying water from Bronson but the town ultimately turned down the request.

            McCain said this isn’t the first time Cedar Key has talked about buying water from its neighbors, either.

            “We tried this same thing a few years ago and nobody wanted to talk about it, but the Suwannee River Water Management District got into it somehow; they have some property up here, we need to research to make sure,” he said.

            Partin said those attending the recent roundtable discussion included himself, Town Manager Susan Beaudet, County Commission Chairman John Meeks as well as officials from Cedar Key and Otter Creek. He said they discussed the water needs of the two communities.

            Councilman Jason Hunt asked Partin if he knew how much money the town could make by selling water to the two cities. Partin said he doesn’t know at this time.

            Hunt also asked who would maintain the facilities stretching from Bronson to Cedar Key.

            “Right now, before I say anything that’s wrong, right or indifferent, I need to complete this; we need to get all our ducks in a line, so to say, and that’s a viable question,” Partin said.

            Who’s going to pay to build these facilities, Hunt asked.

            “Through grants,” Partin responded.

            Councilman Aaron Edmondson said he liked the idea of helping sister communities solve their water problems, but he said they would have to figure out how it could be done.

            “We tried this, I don’t know how many years ago, but it was quite a few years ago,” Edmondson said. “If we could do this it would be a good thing with Cedar Key, Bronson, and Otter Creek. We all know how our water supply is here. We got good water. If we can help them, it will help us too. I don’t have any problem with it, but we need to know what it’s going to take to do it.”

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Town of Bronson Regular Meeting November 1, 2021; Posted November 1, 2021