Aerial image of Lake Okeechobee from 2019, as toxic algae blooms raged.

Just how dirty is Lake O?

Would you believe Lake Okeechobee is the dirtiest lake in the United States?

That bold claim comes from Lake.com, a rental company that used federal chemical data to rank 46 of the biggest lakes in the country and found Lake O to be the worst.

Is this legit? Well, we might quibble with the methodology... but everyone knows Lake O has problems. The question, as always, is what to do about it.

In today’s blog post we break it all down, look at some of the proposed solutions — and talk about what really needs to be done to get Lake Okeehobee off the top of that “dirty” list.

WANTED: Clean-water candidates!

Not all superheroes wear capes. But in our case — they do need commitment to cleaner water!

With 2026 fast approaching, we’re looking high and low for candidates at the county, state and federal level throughout south Florida to make clean water a pillar of their campaign. We need candidates who understand how crucial south Florida’s iconic waterways are to our economy, to human health and our very way of life.

We want them to run. We want them to win — and make good on their promises.

And we want you to know all about them — so you can cast your ballot accordingly.

So if you support the clean-water cause and want us to know about your favorite candidate — or you ARE the candidate! — in St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Collier or Lee counties, VoteWater wants to hear from you. Drop us a line at [email protected] — and help us make 2026 a banner year for Florida’s water.

ICYMI: Big Sugar spends big bucks on lobbying (again!)

Think of it this way: Tallahasse is like the Big Leagues.

And Big Sugar is the equivalent of the 1927 Yankees, the best team in history.

A big part of the industry's prowess is lobbying: Florida's sugar industry employs the best lobbyists at the best-known firms in the state. And in the second quarter of 2025 alone, the industry spent some $600,000 to buy influence in the halls of the state capitol.

We break down who spent what on whom in a recent blog post — check it out.

Clean water can't wait - fund the fight!

Polluters won’t stop — but with your help, we can fight back today.

Your gift powers VoteWater’s campaign against bad policy, and dirty politics. Donate or become a member and help protect Florida’s water for future generations.

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