DeSantis Awards $100 Million for Springs Restoration and Water Supply, Including Septic Work Near Crystal River's Kings Bay

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday, Oct. 28, awarded $100 million in state grants for 45 water projects across Florida, splitting the money evenly between restoring the state's freshwater springs and expanding alternative sources of drinking water. He made the announcement at a press conference in Crystal River, the Citrus County city that sits on the spring-fed Kings Bay.

Half of the package, $50 million, goes to 23 projects through the state's Springs Restoration Grant Program. The other $50 million pays for 22 projects through the Alternative Water Supply Grant Program, which funds reclaimed water, aquifer recharge, brackish water treatment and conservation work meant to reduce Florida's reliance on traditional freshwater sources. The governor's office said the projects were selected for the 2026-27 fiscal year.

Some early coverage of the event cited a $50 million figure. That number is the springs share alone; the full package announced Wednesday is $100 million.

What the springs money pays for

According to the governor's office, the 23 springs projects center on wastewater upgrades and other improvements that together are expected to reduce total nitrogen by more than 55,000 pounds per year. Nitrogen that seeps into the groundwater from septic tanks, wastewater and fertilizer is the main pollutant the state's springs program targets, because it feeds algae growth in spring runs and the rivers they supply.

The release singled out four of the 23 awards, which together total $13 million:

The governor's office did not name the other 19 springs projects in its release. It said a full list of the Water Quality and Supply Grant projects selected for the 2026-27 fiscal year is posted at ProtectingFloridaTogether.gov/Grants.

The Crystal River connection

The choice of Crystal River as the backdrop tied the announcement to one of the named awards. Citrus County's $3 million grant pays for septic-to-sewer conversions and for upgrading existing septic systems with nitrogen-reducing features, work the state said will benefit both the Chassahowitzka-Homosassa springs system and Kings Bay and the Crystal River springs.

The county's housing services office applied for the grant and runs a septic upgrade incentive program for eligible residents, according to a Citrus County release, which said the county expects to receive the newly awarded money next year.

Septic-to-sewer projects connect homes that rely on in-ground septic tanks to central sewer lines and treatment plants, which remove more nitrogen before water is returned to the environment. Upgrading a septic tank with nitrogen-reducing enhancements is the alternative for homes that cannot easily be connected to sewer. Both approaches appear repeatedly on this year's list, from Citrus County to the DeLand and Volusia County awards on the east side of the state.

Alternative water supply: $50 million for 22 projects

The second half of the package targets the state's long-term water supply. The governor's office said the 22 projects are expected to produce more than 60 million gallons of water per day once complete, by expanding reclaimed water use, enhancing aquifer recharge and promoting conservation. The release highlighted three groups of awards:

• $12.6 million to seven communities in Polk County to diversify their water supplies to include brackish water, in coordination with the Polk Regional Water Cooperative.
• $10 million to Tampa Bay Water to expand surface water treatment capacity by 12.5 million gallons per day to meet demand.
• $19.1 million for six reclaimed water projects that will offset demand for drinking water, including reuse expansion at the City of Fort Myers' Central Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility and transmission expansion in the City of Apopka.

Those awards reach Polk County, the Tampa Bay area, Fort Myers and Apopka in Orange County. Reclaimed water projects send highly treated wastewater to uses such as irrigation, which frees up groundwater and treated drinking water for homes and businesses.

What officials said

"Today in Crystal River, I was proud to announce $100 million for springs restoration and alternative water supply projects throughout Florida," DeSantis said in the release. "These strategic investments will build on the progress we've made in protecting our natural resources and improving water quality in communities across Florida, so that we can leave this state to God better than we found it."

Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Alexis A. Lambert, who appeared with the governor, said: "Year after year, Governor DeSantis has demonstrated a firm commitment to protecting Florida's waters. We will continue to work cooperatively with local communities to secure the sustainable clean water supply that is critical for Florida's future."

How this round compares

The governor's office said Florida has now invested $480 million in springs restoration since 2019, leading to an estimated reduction of about 900,000 pounds of total nitrogen per year. For the alternative water supply program, it said the Legislature has appropriated $385 million since the program began in 2019, including Wednesday's awards, and that projects funded so far will provide more than 400 million gallons of water per day when fully online.

The structure mirrors the previous round. On Dec. 3, 2025, at Hula Bay in Tampa, DeSantis announced more than $112 million in grants: $50 million for 14 alternative water supply projects expected to produce almost 94 million gallons per day, $50 million for 23 springs projects, and $12 million for innovative technology to fight harmful algal blooms, according to FOX 13's coverage of that event. At the time, the governor said the springs grants in that round would cut nitrogen by about 100,000 pounds per year.

This year's announcement did not include an innovative technology component, and the state's nitrogen estimate for the new springs projects, more than 55,000 pounds per year, is lower than last year's figure for the same dollar amount. The release did not explain the difference.

The water supply side moved in the other direction. Last year's 14 projects were expected to produce almost 94 million gallons per day; this year's 22 projects are projected at more than 60 million gallons per day, spread across more recipients.

What it means for Floridians

For homeowners near springs, the grants matter most where they pay for septic programs. In Citrus and Volusia counties, the awards fund incentive programs that help residents upgrade or replace septic systems, with Volusia County's program aimed at homes near DeLeon Spring and Citrus County's at the springs feeding Kings Bay and the Homosassa and Chassahowitzka rivers.

For residents in growing areas, the water supply grants are aimed at meeting demand by reducing reliance on traditional freshwater sources, the stated goal of the program. Tampa Bay Water's award, for example, is meant to expand how much surface water the regional utility can treat each day.

What's next

The awards are for the 2026-27 fiscal year, and recipients will move forward through grant agreements with the state before money is distributed, which in Citrus County's case is expected next year. Residents who want to see whether a project in their community made the list can find the full selection on the state's ProtectingFloridaTogether.gov grants page, which the Department of Environmental Protection uses for its water quality and supply programs.