WAKULLA COUNTY, FL — Talquin Electric Cooperative has received $500,000 in state funding to replace the well serving the Riversink Water System, which also serves the Wakulla Regional Water System.
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The funding was included in the 2026-2027 state budget. According to the Florida House Project Appropriations Request, submitted in November 2025, the current second well in Riversink does not supply quality water.
The replacement well is part of a broader series of infrastructure investments Talquin says are designed to reduce the frequency and severity of water discoloration events experienced by some Wakulla County members. Other improvements include the installation of advanced filtration systems at the wells, the addition of mixers in storage areas, and the construction of new wells.
Talquin General Manager Tracy Bensley addressed the investments in a statement.
"Investing in our water infrastructure today ensures we can continue providing reliable, high-quality service as our communities grow. We appreciate the continued partnership of our state leaders and remain committed to making proactive investments that benefit Members now and into the future," Bensley said.
Talquin says these investments are designed to provide long-term reliability while supporting one of the fastest-growing areas in its service territory.
Will McClure, a Wakulla Gardens neighbor who spoke with ABC27's Serena Davanzo about the brown, discolored water issues in early April, said the funding is welcome news — particularly for his wife, who is immunocompromised.
"Especially in my wife's case, it would be a huge relief to be able to know that the water's safe that's coming out of the tap, or that you shower in or anything else, because anything that could in that, that's in there, that's you know, any sort of heavy metals and things like that, which all the count was super high, that's going to cause damage to her system and her transplanted organ," McClure said.
McClure said he also wants Talquin to keep the community informed throughout the process.
"If the funds are actually going to be used for that, for improving the system and getting ready, or getting ready for a permanent solution. I think that's great, and it'll be a lot of, you know, Talquin needs to be transparent about it, to say, hey, look, we got these funds, here's our game plan, and this is what we're doing, and I think that'll go a long way with the community, with a show earnest, you know, an earnest plan that they're really going to take care of it," McClure said.
The Riversink well replacement project is expected to be completed in mid-2027.
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