Just off Kings Highway in Arcadia, down a well-worn dirt road flanked by dense shrubby and grazing deer, there is a sparkling 6 billion-gallon tub of water that has seen much worse days.
A lingering drought throughout much of Florida had taken a toll on the Peace River reservoir that serves drinking water to the Suncoast region, sinking water levels in July to the lowest since 2017. The reservoir held about 2.58 billion gallons of water — or about 40% of its capacity.
Now, officials say that after a wet several months, the reservoir again sits full, a promising sign for the region’s supply. Although Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties remain under drought conditions and water restrictions, the situation has improved considerably since early summer…