LOXAHATCHEE, FL – Broward County Commissioners joined people from across Florida today at the groundbreaking of the first phase of the C-51 Reservoir, which will be used to provide an alternate water supply to eight public water utilities and recharge the Biscayne Aquifer, helping to ensure drinking water for years to come.

Broward Commissioners Tim Ryan, Dr. Barbara Sharief, Beam Furr and Dale V.C. Holness attended the event along with a collaboration of regional partners, including representatives from local governments, public water utilities, private entities, regional agencies, and the State of Florida.

Broward County Mayor Steve Geller who also serves as Chair of the County’s Water Advisory Board commented, “The enormity and importance of the project is impossible to overstate. It represents the sustained dedication of leadership across an entire generation, with the goal of supporting smart, sustainable water resource development. This is the first project of this nature to be developed in south Florida and it’s a great testament of the importance we all place on protecting the quality and quantity of our water resources, all the more important as we consider the impacts of climate change on our local water supplies.”

Since 2006, Broward County, Palm Beach County, local municipalities and water districts, the Lake Work Drainage District, South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Legislature and countless staff and interested citizens have been working toward the development of the C-51 Reservoir project in conjunction with landowner Palm Beach Aggregates (PBA).

The ultimate project has the capacity to provide 60,000 acre-feet of storage. This Phase I will occupy 450 acres of property and store 14,000 acre-feet of water, with expected completion in January 2023. A later Phase II could provide another 46,000 acre-feet of storage for additional water supply, flood protection, Lake Worth Lagoon and Loxahatchee Restoration, and other environmental benefits.

“The C-51 Reservoir is truly a triumph of intergovernmental and public-private partnership, and serves as a powerful example of the collaborative efforts and large-scale projects that are certain to increasingly populate the landscape as we tackle the challenges of extreme weather, sea level rise, and climate change. What makes this project so special, in addition to the dozens upon dozens of individuals who all played a role, is the elegance of what the project delivers – the marrying of solutions to the problems of flooding and alternative water supply in such an efficient way. While the C-51 Reservoir won’t solve 100 percent of the problems we face with water here in southeast Florida, it sure addresses a big slice. Fundamentally, it is an example of how we can work together to face forthcoming challenges head-on and build a stronger, more resilient community,” said Commissioner Tim Ryan who has advocated for the C-51 reservoir as both a State Representative and County Commissioner. 

Project partners include Broward County, the City of Sunrise, Hallandale Beach, Margate, Pompano Beach, Dania Beach, the City of Fort Lauderdale, and Miami Dade County, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the South Florida Water Management District, Lake Worth Drainage District, Palm Beach County, Black & Veatch, Goldman Sachs and NorthStar. 

February 24, 2021

MEDIA CONTACT:

Kimberly Maroe
Public Information Manager
Broward County Commission
(954) 232-4510
kmaroe@broward.org