Water Supply Plan - City of Miami

City of Miami
Water Supply Facilities Work Plans
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2.0 BACKGROUND INFORMATION
2.1 Overview
The City of Miami, known as the “Magic City”, is located in Southeast Florida, in Miami-Dade County on
the Miami River, between the Florida Everglades and the Atlantic Ocean. The original boundaries of
the City encompassed an area approximately 35 square miles. The City of Miami was incorporated in
1896 and has grown into one of the world’s renowned centers where people can work, live and play
while enjoying a high quality of life. The City of Miami, known for its diverse culture and ethnicities, is
the largest municipality in Miami-Dade County.
The City of Miami is substantially built-out. Between 1990 and 2000, the City of Miami population grew
from 358,548 to 362,470, an increase of one percent (1.1%) 1 . Although the 1995 EAR predicted an
increase in population, in 2005 it was estimated that the City’s population has increased to 386,879 2
residents based on the 2005 BEBR (Shimberg Center of Affordable Housing Bureau of Economic and
Business Research) population data. By all projections, growth will continue to occur in the region, with
future development potential and population growth limited by the scarcity of vacant and developable
land. Current, estimates of population trends have incorporated the relatively of recent deluge
development and redevelopment of new large scale residential projects. The City’s greatest
development potential will occur as mid to high rise redevelopment projects. For these reasons, it is
anticipated the City of Miami will receive a much greater share of the County’s population growth.
2.2 Relevant Regional Issues
Regional issues that affect the City of Miami include minimizing pressure on the Everglades
ecosystem. The South Florida Water Management District is the state agency responsible for water
supply in the Lower East Coast planning area which includes the jurisdictional boundaries of the City of
Miami. SFWMD plays a pivotal role in resource protection, through criteria used for Consumptive Use
Permitting. As pressure increased on the Everglades ecosystem resource, the Governing Board
initiated rule making to limit increased allocations dependent on the Everglades system. As a result, the
Regional Water Availability Rule was adopted by the Governing Board on February 15, 2007 as part of
the SFWMD's water use permit program. This reduced reliance on the regional system for future water
supply needs, mandates the development of alternative water supplies, and increasing conservation
and reuse.
1 Population projections provided by Miami-Dade County Facts, Miami-Dade Department of Planning & Zoning, May 2004
2 Population projections provided by Shimberg Center of Affordable Housing, Bureau of Economic Business Research (BEBR) 2005
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April, 2010
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