THE EVERGLADES. — On Jan. 25 Governor Ron DeSantis attended a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the filling of the first cell of the 6,500-acre Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Stormwater Treatment Area (STA), which will  clean water flowing from Lake Okeechobee before it is sent south.

The EAA Reservoir, which is under construction adjacent to the STA, will help move water south to nourish the Everglades, replenish Florida’s aquifers and support the Florida Bay.   When it is finished -- around 2032 -- the water from the reservoir will be cleaned in the new STA. Until the reservoir is complete, the STA will clean water directly from Lake Okeechobee, via the Miami Canal.

“The opening of this stormwater treatment cell is a key milestone in the EAA Reservoir project and will help ensure the health of the Everglades for generations to come,"  said Governor Ron DeSantis.

“The EAA Reservoir is a critical component of Everglades restoration,” said Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Shawn Hamilton. “Restoring America’s Everglades is one of the most ambitious hydrological restoration projects ever undertaken and will restore the natural flow of clean water south to where it’s needed most.”

“Today marks a new dawn of hope for America’s Everglades. The EAA Reservoir Project is coming to life, and we owe a great deal of gratitude to Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for the leadership to make today possible,” said South Florida Water Management District Board Chairman Chauncey Goss. “Water is the backbone of Florida’s economy, and the EAA Reservoir and STA is a cornerstone project that reduces damaging discharges that harm our coastal communities while providing fresh, clean water to America’s Everglades and Florida Bay. We’re lucky to have a Governor and Legislature who understand this important connection. With more than 65 ribbon cuttings, groundbreakings and major milestones on Everglades projects under our belt since Governor DeSantis took office, we are making a measurable difference for the communities and water resources of our region.”

In April 2020, Governor DeSantis announced that the South Florida Water Management District began construction on the State of Florida’s component of the project, the Stormwater Treatment Area, 12 months ahead of schedule. Now, the first of three treatment cells is complete. The remaining cells will come online by this summer.

Clean water from the new STA will flow into Water Conservation Area 3-A and then under the Tamiami Trail to Everglades National Park.