Punta Gorda worry over water control shift to Charlotte County

A proposed state bill could shift control of water service outside Punta Gorda city limits to Charlotte County, raising serious concerns among city leaders and residents. WINK News reporter Lauren Halpern was live in Punta Gorda to speak with both sides about the situation.

The bill surfaced late last week, catching officials completely off guard and prompting an emergency meeting where many residents voiced their concerns.

"No, we don't feel that we are represented at all. We should have a democratic vote and include all the residents in the vote to decide where the power over our water supply is going to be situated," said Joanne Chrzanowski, a Punta Gorda resident.

"We are already paying a lot for the water, and I don't want the rates to increase," Chrzanowski added.

City Utilities Director Tom Spencer said Punta Gorda only learned about the proposal after it appeared in a public notice. The bill raises significant concerns about infrastructure, debt, and long-term planning.

"We're just we're actually very disappointed by the delegation's decision to advance the bill. We continue to believe that it's unnecessary. The challenges facing the water supply in Charlotte County are regional and technical in nature, and the legislation does not create any new water capacity and it doesn't resolve any regulatory constraints," said Spencer.

Spencer explained that Punta Gorda currently has the ability to serve existing customers and planned developments, including the Enterprise Charlotte Airport Park. He mentioned that while regulatory limits from the Southwest Florida Water Management District have restricted water withdrawals at certain times of the year, the city is already planning and investing in expansion.

"I said it today to the representatives. This does not create capacity. It does not resolve any of the issues, and it's only going to further complicate things. And it introduces, you know, an uncertainty," Spencer said.

Spencer emphasized that Punta Gorda’s water system was built as one integrated network serving both city residents and county customers, with existing debt tied to that full service area.

"What matters most is that the city and the county remain committed to working together, and that we're going to continue to collaborate and work closely with the county on utilities, planning, growth and infrastructure investment, as we always have," said Spencer.

Meanwhile, Charlotte County is now on board with the plan after a revised bill was drafted Tuesday with amendments requested by the county. In a statement to WINK News, the county expressed its eagerness to work with the city and Rep. Oliver to resolve issues affecting the water supply in the Punta Gorda utilities service area.

City leaders remain open to collaboration, but residents insist that transparency and public input must come before any decision is made.