GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida has the largest concentration of freshwater springs in the world, but they are being devastated by increasing pollution and drastic declines in water flow. Some springs have dried up from overextraction; others have shown signs of saltwater intrusion and harmful algae blooms.

At least 60 springs discharge from the Floridan aquifer into the Santa Fe River, which runs 75 miles through north-central Florida. This aquifer is the primary source of drinking water in the state. State and local governments have continued to issue water bottling extraction permits that prevent the aquifer from recharging.

The answer to this problem is simple: No more extraction permits should be granted, and existing permits should be reduced with the goal of eliminating bottled water production entirely in Florida. At the very least, corporations should be taxed for the water they now extract free of charge. That revenue can be used to pay for water infrastructure projects.

In the next few months, a company called Seven Springs Water, which supplies Nestlé with water for one of its Florida bottling operations is, with Nestlé’s assistance, set to renew its permit at Ginnie Springs, one of the most popular recreational attractions along the Santa Fe River. The permit allows the holder to take one million gallons per day at no cost, with just a one-time $115 application fee. A Nestlé spokesman declined to specify what it pays Seven Springs for the water, but said it was comparable to what the company would pay for purchasing water from a municipal water supplier.