Water Management

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation includes details that are consistent with the official source material but goes beyond what is explicitly stated in terms of implications for existing local regulations. The summary provided by the official source material does not specify how this will impact existing local regulations.

Water Management Preemption Act

This bill prohibits counties and municipalities from making rules about water quality, quantity, pollution control, pollutant discharge prevention or removal, and wetlands, giving the state exclusive authority over these issues.

What This Bill Does

• Prohibits local governments (counties and municipalities) from creating laws, regulations, rules, or policies related to water quality, quantity, pollution control, pollutant discharge prevention or removal, and wetlands.
• Makes it clear that only the state can regulate water quality, quantity, pollution control, pollutant discharge prevention or removal, and wetlands.
• Requires the Department of Environmental Protection to inform the Chief Financial Officer if a local government breaks this rule.
• Allows the Chief Financial Officer to stop giving money to counties or cities that break these rules.
• Removes an existing law about land management review teams.

Who It Names or Affects

• Counties and municipalities in Florida
• The Department of Environmental Protection
• The Chief Financial Officer

Terms To Know

Preemption

When a higher level of government (like the state) takes control over an issue that was previously managed by lower levels of government (like cities or counties).

Pollutant discharge prevention or removal

Stopping or removing harmful substances from being released into water.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not apply to interagency or interlocal agreements between the department and any agency, water management district, or local government conducting programs relating to or materially affecting the water resources of the state.
• Local governments can still manage their own water, wastewater, and stormwater systems.

Official Summary Text

Water Management; Prohibiting counties and municipalities from adopting laws, regulations, rules, or policies relating to water quality or quantity, pollution control, pollutant discharge prevention or removal, or wetlands; preempting such regulation to the state; repealing a provision relating to land management review teams, etc.

Current Bill Text

Florida Senate
-
2026

SB 718

By
Senator McClain

9-00674-26 2026718__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to water management; creating s.
3 373.027, F.S.; prohibiting counties and municipalities
4 from adopting laws, regulations, rules, or policies
5 relating to water quality or quantity, pollution
6 control, pollutant discharge prevention or removal, or
7 wetlands; preempting such regulation to the state;
8 providing applicability and construction; requiring
9 the Department of Environmental Protection to notify
10 the Chief Financial Officer of certain violations;
11 requiring the Chief Financial Officer to withhold
12 certain funds; repealing s. 373.591, F.S., relating to
13 land management review teams; providing an effective
14 date.
15
16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
17
18 Section 1. Section 373.027, Florida Statutes, is created to
19 read:
20
373.027
Water management preemption
.—

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(1) A county or municipality may not adopt laws,

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regulations, rules, or policies relating to any of the

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following:

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(a) Water quality.

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(b) Water quantity.

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(c) Pollution control.

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(d) Pollutant discharge prevention or removal.

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(e) Wetlands, including any delineation.

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(2) The regulation of water quality, water quantity,

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pollution control, pollutant discharge prevention and removal,

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and wetlands, including any delineation, is exclusively

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preempted to the state.

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(3) This section does not:

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(a) Apply to an interagency or interlocal agreement between

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the department and any agency, water management district, or

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local government conducting programs relating to or materially

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affecting the water resources of the state.

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(b) Affect the authority of a county or municipality to

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regulate and operate its own water system, wastewater system, or

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stormwater system.

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(4) If the department determines that a county or

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municipality is in violation of this section, the department

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shall notify the Chief Financial Officer of the violation, and

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the Chief Financial Officer shall withhold any state funds to

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which the county or municipality may be entitled.

46 Section 2.
Section 373.591, Florida Statutes, is repealed.

47 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.