PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla.— Today, Governor Ron DeSantis attended the groundbreaking for the new inflow pump station at the critical EAA Reservoir Project. The EAA Reservoir, located south of Lake Okeechobee, will store over 78 billion gallons of water—larger than Manhattan—and deliver up to 470 billion gallons of clean water annually to the Everglades and Florida Bay. It also supports the Biscayne Aquifer, the primary source of drinking water for South Florida.

This ceremony marks the 80th milestone event since 2019, celebrating ribbon cuttings, groundbreakings, and major achievements across Everglades restoration projects under the leadership of Governor Ron DeSantis—the most in state history.

“Florida reached a historic agreement with the Trump Administration earlier this year to expedite and advance Everglades restoration,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Today, I was pleased to announce a milestone in Everglades restoration made possible by our cooperation with the federal government. Florida is now breaking ground on the new EAA Inflow Pump Station, an essential component of the EAA Reservoir project. This is the second Everglades restoration project to commence since the agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers last summer, which has empowered Florida to step up our Everglades restoration efforts. Today’s groundbreaking marks the 80th milestone event in Everglades restoration that has taken place since 2019, thanks to our leadership and commitment to getting this done.”

“The EAA Reservoir is a critical component of Everglades restoration and Governor DeSantis has led the charge on getting this project done,” said Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Alexis Lambert. “Restoring America’s Everglades is one of the most ambitious environmental restoration projects ever undertaken and will restore the natural flow of clean water south to where it’s needed most. With every project we are delivering real results on time, under budget and with strong returns for Florida’s taxpayers.”

The new inflow pump station will have nine pumps and will be one of the largest pump stations in the State of Florida. The pump station will have the capability to move approximately 3 billion gallons of water per day from Lake Okeechobee into the EAA Reservoir.

For decades, Florida’s water system was altered to prevent flooding, but at the cost of cutting off the natural flow of water to the Everglades. The EAAReservoir Project is designed to correct that—redirecting water south, restoring ecosystems, and significantly reducing harmful discharges to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries. Once complete, the EAA Reservoir will provide lasting benefits for Florida’s coastal communities and unique natural environment.

Today’s groundbreaking commemorates another major milestone since the new landmark agreement was signed in July 2025 between the State of Florida and the U.S. Department of the Army. This agreement supercharges Everglades restoration by accelerating the EAA Reservoir’s construction timeline by five years—from 2034 to 2029. It also cuts federal red tape and redirects resources to fast-track critical restoration efforts. The State of Florida already held a groundbreaking for the Blue Shanty Flow Way in September 2025, a vital system that will deliver clean water south across Tamiami Trail and into Florida Bay.

Florida’s leadership has already resulted in faster, cleaner, and more affordable restoration efforts. Since 2019:

• The C-44 reservoir is complete, the C-43 reservoir is complete, and the EAA Reservoir is being accelerated.
• Annual nutrient reduction totals have reached over 1.8 million pounds of nitrogen, and 770,000 pounds of phosphorus removed from Florida’s waterways.
• South Florida’s water storage capacity has tripled to 176 billion gallons.

Since taking office, Governor DeSantis has made restoring the Everglades and improving water quality a cornerstone of his administration. On his second day in office, he issued Executive Order 19-12, which committed $2.5 billion over four years for water quality and Everglades projects. That goal was exceeded in his first term, with $3.3 billion invested—more than the previous 12 years combined.

In his second term, Governor DeSantis continued this momentum. With $1.4 billion included in this year’s FY 2025-26 Budget, the state has now committed $4.6 billion in the first three years of the term, putting Florida on pace to exceed his $3.5 billion second-term goal. Altogether, nearly $8 billion has been invested since 2019 in Everglades restoration and water quality.

Media Resources
Download High Resolution Photos of the EAA Reservoir Project Inflow Pump Station Groundbreaking
Watch Video from the EAA Reservoir Project Inflow Pump Station Groundbreaking