Supreme Court To Hear Arguments In Georgia, Florida Dispute Over Water
The states’ battle over water use dates back to 1990 and involves the river basin that includes western Georgia, eastern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.
MIKE GONZALEZ / wikimedia
The Supreme Court says it will hear a dispute between Florida and Georgia over water rights.
The justices on Tuesday issued a brief order in a lawsuit that Florida filed at the high court challenging water use by its neighbor.
Florida is suing Georgia, claiming Atlanta homes and businesses and South Georgia farmers use too much water, and not enough flows down the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers to Florida’s Apalachicola River. Florida blames Georgia for the crash of the oyster industry in Apalachicola Bay, and asks the Supreme Court to limit Georgia’s water use.
A lawyer appointed by the court to oversee the suit recommended that the justices side with Georgia. Florida has objected to the lawyer’s recommendation.
This case began in 2013, but the fights over water between Florida, Georgia and Alabama have dragged on for more than 25 years.
The court has not set a date for arguments in the case.
The justices also say they will hear arguments in Texas’ lawsuit against Colorado and New Mexico over the flow of the Rio Grande. No date has been set.
WABE reporter Molly Samuel contributed to this report.
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