A delegation of Pasco County legislators and officials made a pitch to Gov. Charlie Crist on Wednesday morning to keep the Cross Bar Ranch on Florida Forever's "A" list for acquisition. ...more

January 24, 2008

Some say the state's severe drought conditions are good for business. "It's been great out on the water," said Rick Grassett, a Sarasota fishing guide. "Seagrass is thicker and more abundant. Fish are more plentiful." ...more

January 6, 2008

Regarding "Desalination Plant OK'd To Join System" (Metro, Dec. 18): Production of 25 million gallons of drinking water is a drop in the bucket for our regional demands. No red Christmas bow to celebrate the fact the desalination plant is online. The article touched on the justifiable criticism of this water plant's costly failures. Now Tampa area residents will face escalating drinking water costs and fouling effluent in their beloved estuary. ...more

December 23, 2007

Tampa Bay Water's desalination plant is finally up and running, four years late. ...more

December 22, 2007

Design work is under way for waterlines that will provide a safe drinking water source for residents on rural Buster Bean Drive. ...more

December 12, 2007

Don't be fooled. Just because it's called "water" and comes in a bottle doesn't mean it's "bottled water." Most fortified drinks are actually "water beverages." If you really want "bottled water," it must be "intended for human consumption and sealed in bottles or other containers with no added ingredients," except for antimicrobial agents and fluoride, according to the Food and Drug Administration, which regulates bottled water as a food. We know it's confusing. So here's what to look for if you want old-fashioned bottled water, according to the FDA: ...more

October 18, 2007