South Florida's Municipal Wells Run Dry

aquifer map.jpg

Since 1999, the Biscayne Aquifer has lost 580 square miles of its supply for 4 million residents, more than half the population in Southeast Florida. Water remains drinkable, but the water quality is concerning due to some contaminated coastal sites.

Increased use by residents and farms continues to stress the ability of nature to provide clean groundwater, and with the depletion of the Biscayne Aquifer, municipalities are being forced to drill deeper into the limestone and explore North into the Floridan aquifer. 

The image on the left reveals the relative depths of freshwater available within the aquifer, beneath Miami-Dade County.

South Florida's Municipal Wells Run Dry