Without more water, the explosive growth pending in the county — including the controversial 6,000-unit Florida City Commons — will be stalled. That project is so large that it would impact the entire region; Monroe County officials have expressed opposition to the project.

According to state law, local governments must determine if there is sufficient infrastructure, including an adequate water supply, before issuing new building permits.

Keith Smith, spokesman for the water management district, said the current allocation of 415 million gallons of water per day will remain in place for a year or so while the county develops alternative sources.

Florida has five water management districts that regulate water consumption. South Florida Water Management District has jurisdiction over 16 counties, including Miami-Dade and Monroe.

Miami-Dade officials requested an additional 35 million gallons per day to accommodate the growth.

"They have not used that much; the most used was 347 million gallons per day, so they have some room to accommodate growth," Smith said. "There's a lot of outstanding issues regarding impacts to wetlands, developing alternative water supplies, technical analysis — a whole laundry list of things to do," he said.

The matter didn't even make it to the water district's board, Smith said, because staff did not have enough information to make a recommendation.

The county's director of water and sewers, William Brant, abruptly resigned in late January after Miami-Dade county commissioners learned he had not developed plans for the future of the county's water supply.

"They can't take water from the Biscayne Aquifer, not from anywhere else in the county" or from the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, said Mike Collins, water management district board member.

Miami-Dade had no plan for the future, he said.

"The fact that Brant didn't do his job and did not develop future sources of water for the county, that's why he's not there," Collins said.

County Manager George Burgess accepted Brant's resignation on Jan. 27 and on the same day, appointed John Renfrow as the new director of water and sewers.

"I have asked John to conduct a full top-down management review of the water and sewer district," Burgess stated. "I trust that John will work cooperatively and effectively with all partners, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the state of Florida, the South Florida Water Management District and local municipal customers."

The county is working on the required "laundry list," said Frank Calderon, water and sewers spokesman.

"We are working on a Reuse Feasibility Study and alternative water supply investigation since July 2005, and we anticipate being granted a short-term permit while we continue to work on an alternative water supply plan," he said. The first public meeting about Miami-Dade's water and sewer plans will be held Friday.

Several months ago, Florida City annexed 1,000 acres south of it, where the planned Florida City Commons would encompass 4,200 single-family homes, 1,800 condos and townhomes, 300,000 square feet of retail space, 90,000 square feet of office space, an 1,800-seat movie theater complex, a hotel and three schools.

Monroe County already has expressed its opposition to the project. But so far, regulatory agencies requesting information have neither opposed nor supported it.

Florida City Mayor Otis Wallace did not return The Citizen's calls for comments by press deadlines.

ahenson@keysnews.com