Florida sells itself as a paradise of crystal blue springs, shimmering lakes and beaches that draw millions of visitors each year. But behind the palm tree postcards, there is a harsher truth. Nearly 900,000 acres of Florida’s lakes are too polluted for safe swimming.
This is not just sad, it’s outrageous. For years, state officials have been completely aware that our waters are collapsing, yet they have continued approving more development, permits and pollution. If Florida leaders keep turning the other way, they are not just ignoring an environmental issue. They are gambling with our health, economy and the very identity of Florida.
Think about why you chose UM. Chances are it’s the clear water beaches, promises of spending weekends on boats or simply the idea of living in a place defined by sunshine and coastline played a role in your decision. And if you are one of the many students who actually grew up here, the stakes are even clearer: this is your home. Either way, the same waters that drew you in, or that you’ve depended on your whole life, are now under threat.
It’s not only the beaches or boat days that are at risk. Your dorm water fountains, dining hall ice machines and communal showers are all part of the same system. When that water is polluted, it is not just an environmental concern, but a health risk.
Contaminated water can carry harmful bacteria and nutrients that fuel toxic algal blooms, which have been linked to respiratory problems, stomach issues and even long-term risks like liver damage. Students might notice everyday effects too, like skin irritation or acne flare-ups from showering in water that is not clean. The health of Florida’s waters directly affects our own health.
Florida faces one of the most severe freshwater crises in the U.S. The state leads the nation in polluted lakes, its springs have lost a third of their historic flows and its aquifers are straining under unchecked growth and climate stress. Unless Floridians — including students, residents and voters — demand accountability, Florida risks losing not just its water, but its future.
The numbers are staggering.
Florida ranks first in the U.S. for acres of lakes impaired for swimming and aquatic life, with 873,340 acres . Lake Okeechobee, the liquid heart of the state, continues to exceed phosphorus limits by wide margins, with nutrient levels remaining three to five times above state targets .When those waters are released, they carry toxic nutrients into estuaries, killing seagrass and fueling algal blooms. This is not background noise. It’s a public health and ecological disaster.
Florida is home to more than 1000 springs, the most of any U.S. state. They’re natural wonders, but they’re collapsing. All but four of Florida’s 30 major springs are now considered polluted. On top of that, average spring flows have declined by over a third of their historic levels, largely due to groundwater pumping. These collapsing springs are warnings that the aquifers beneath us, which provide drinking water for 90% of Floridians, are under serious strain.
The crisis is worsened by explosive growth. Florida gains nearly 900 new residents every single day . In Polk County alone, more than 100,000 acres of farmland were converted into subdivisions between 2002 and 2015. Cities like Tampa have already exceeded their permitted water supply, forcing permanent lawn-watering bans.
Meanwhile, lawmakers keep pushing pro-development agendas, even as a report cited by Grist found that the Florida Office of Demographic Research Estimates that projects needed to meet future demand will cost over $3.3 billion by 2040. Every new subdivision, every golf course, every perfectly green lawn adds pressure to a system that is already buckling.
Whether you came here for four years of school or you plan to stay for life, know this: your health, quality of life and even your drinking water depend on how Florida manages this crisis. Floridians must demand stricter water permits, real enforcement of pollution limits and meaningful conservation reforms. Otherwise the “Sunshine State” risks becoming known for toxic, undrinkable water. We do not lack water knowledge in Florida, we lack the will to protect it. And unless we act, we’ll find out what happens when paradise runs dry.