The Lake County Water Alliance, a group formed three years ago, has been tasked to submit a future water plan for the county by 2013, when the St. Johns River Water Management District will no longer will allow additional water to be drawn from aquifers.

The alliance began as a group of 14 municipalities, (including Village Center Community Development District), and the Lake County government. Since February, several of 15 members have dropped from Alliance. The Village Center Community Development District is among the municipalities to remain with the project, and one of the four members to show up for the October meeting.

Other cities besides The Villages still in the alliance include Mount Dora, Groveland and Leesburg. Published reports say Minneola Mayor, David Yeager indicated his city would only stay with the Alliance only if two-thirds of the committee remains. Yeager serves as vice chairman for the alliance and stated his personal commitment to the project, regardless of his city’s participation. Participation of Montverde and Fruitland Park is still in question.

A range of issues has caused the members to drop out, including cost of participation, duplication of services and lack of progress.

According the The Lake Blog, sponsored by the Citizens Coalition of Lake County, Inc., The Lake County Water Alliance was created to administer a $350,000 grant from the St. Johns River Water Management District to study alternative water supplies.

The CCLC says the alliance “finished the study original study in 2008 and the purpose of the Alliance has been unclear since then.”

Water resource engineer, Trey Arnett represents the Village Center Community Development District on the Alliance.