Ground Water Program Sources of high quality ground water
underlie virtually all of Florida. Ninety percent of this
state's population relies on these ground water resources for
their drinking water. Additionally, over 50% of all other water
needs including agricultural, industry, mining, and electric
power generation are supplied by ground water resources. Ground
water also serves as the source for Florida’s many springs and
provides a significant input to many of Florida’s lakes In DEP,
responsibility for ground water is distributed throughout the
agency, but ground water quality on a regional scale is
addressed in two programs, the Aquifer Protection and Ground
Water Management Programs. The Ground Water Management Program
is responsible for evaluating and addressing ground water
resources that adversely affect surface water quality as part of
Florida’s Watershed Restoration Program. These activities
include conducting assessments of the interaction of ground
water with surface waters that are impaired, id