By: Associated Press; WCTV Eyewitness News

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is giving Florida another chance to make its case that Georgia uses too much water and leaves too little for its southern neighbor.

The justices ruled 5-4 Wednesday in the long-running dispute between the two states. The fight is over Georgia’s use of water from the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers that serve booming metro Atlanta and Georgia’s powerful agricultural industry.

The court said that a special master appointed to hear the lawsuit should reconsider Florida’s argument that limiting how much water Georgia uses would provide more for the Apalachicola river that flows into Apalachicola Bay and the nearby Gulf of Mexico.

The special master had recommended to the court that it side with Georgia and reject Florida’s call for limiting water consumption from the Flint river.

In response to the ruling, Florida Governor Rick Scott said, “Today’s ruling is a huge win for the entire state of Florida. As Governor, protecting the families whose livelihoods rely on the Apalachicola Bay has been a top priority. For nearly thirty years and under five governors, Florida has been fighting for its fair share of water from Georgia. After decades of failed negotiations, we took our historic action to protect families all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. I am glad that the court ruled in Florida’s favor today and we look forward to further securing a healthy Apalachicola Bay while protecting the thousands of jobs that depend on this natural resource. The best interest of these families will always come first.”

(WCTV)