Our water is running out, and we need to pay attention.
Increased growth continues to strain water resources as more agricultural,
municipal, recreational, and commercial users attempt to quench their
thirst. Ironically, as water withdrawals increase, users may be destroying
the very resource upon which they depend.
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Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service |
In many states, there is no requirement that large water withdrawals be reported to a coordinating agency responsible for juggling the multiple uses and users of shared water systems. In order to meet the need for effective water use, legislation was written in Maine to establish a reporting system for groundwater withdrawals. The basis of our sample bill text comes from Maine’s LD 1488. This bill will enable states to focus on their water issues in a comprehensive and informed fashion, giving states the knowledge of who is extracting what resources. |
This website offers the tools necessary for you to promote water withdrawal reporting in your state, including a sample bill, talking points, press clips, links, a fact pack, research, and other background information. If you are interested in a groundwater withdrawal permitting system as a method to further mitigate adverse consequences of large groundwater withdrawals, please see our groundwater withdrawal permitting package.
We may have other useful materials on this subject which are not posted on our website. Please feel free to contact us at info@serconline.org or call our office in Madison, WI at (608) 252-9800.
If you have used this site and found it helpful, or if you have suggestions about how it could be made more helpful, please let us know. Please feel free to use the sample bill text included here in your state. If you do, please notify us.
106 East Doty Street, Suite 200 § Madison, Wisconsin 53703
Phone: 608-252-9800 § Fax: 608-252-9828
Email: info@serconline.org