Jurisdiction of District Ombudsman

The Office serves residents in the District's sixteen-county service area.

The Office of Ombuds and Open Government responds to complaints against the South Florida Water Management District only. The Office does not have authority to change an agency determination or policy, or to bring legal actions. However, the Office does monitor trends and makes recommendations to improve performance.

The Office of Ombuds and Open Government does not investigate complaints against Federal, State, County or Municipal governments, nor do we have jurisdiction over elected officials. If we decide not to investigate your complaint, we will explain why and do our best to provide advice, information, or refer you to the appropriate agency. The Office of Ombuds and Open Government can not intervene and should not be contacted if you are represented by legal counsel.

Section 373.079(4)(a), Florida Statutes
Section 373.079(4)(a), FS authorizes an Ombudman position for each of the state's five water management districts. This provision was added to Section 373 in response to the 1995 Water Management District Review Commission Report that recommended the creation of ombudsman positions "to respond to inquiries and complaints from or among permit applicants, interested parties and citizens regarding District regulatory policies and practices, budgeting issues and processes, and general operational programs. In addition, the ombudsman role is to help citizens understand the policies, practices and programs of the District, and facilitate citizen-staff interactions to encourage the amicable resolution of disputes or differences of opinion."

The South Florida Water Management District established an Ombudsman's Office in 1996 and appointed the first Ombudsman on June 20, 1996. The Office of  Ombuds and Open Government is part of Government and Public Affairs, and submits quarterly reports of its activities.