The Drought is Back - Water Restrictions are In Effect in Florida

Here is the release from the South Florida Water Management District

MANDATORY WATER USE RESTRICTIONS GO INTO EFFECT TODAY
THROUGHOUT SOUTH FLORIDA

TV and radio public service announcements help communicate
this vitally important message

West Palm Beach, FL - March 22, 2007 - With below-average rainfall and drought conditions continuing throughout the region, mandatory water use restrictions go into effect throughout South Florida starting today. The restrictions are the result of three water shortage orders passed last week by the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board and signed by Executive Director Carol Ann Wehle.

"Because rainfall is the region's primary source for freshwater supply, substantial cutbacks in water use through the water restrictions and voluntary conservation practices will help stretch dwindling water supplies," Wehle said.

"We've asked the media to help communicate this important message to our residents so we can all weather the water shortage with as little impact as possible."

Eastern Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties -
Phase I Restrictions
Phase I mandatory water use restrictions in eastern Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties limit outdoor lawn watering and car washing to three days a week: Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. for addresses that end in an odd number; Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. for even-number addresses.

These limitations and other actions and are intended to produce a 15 percent reduction in overall demand on our water resources by all uses, including agricultural, industrial, commercial, golf course, landscaping and residential water users. The Phase I restrictions in eastern Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties apply to users who get their water from public utilities, private wells, canals, ponds and lakes.

The use of water for firefighting, safety, sanitation, health, medical and other essential purposes is not restricted. The use of 100 percent reclaimed water, an alternative water source, is also exempt from the restrictions.

"Water restrictions do not mean that public utilities must reduce the amount of water they supply to their customers by 15 percent," Wehle said. "It is up to all water users from all sources to cut back on water use to get us to the overall 15 percent reduction."

St. Lucie Agricultural Area (parts of Martin and St. Lucie Counties) -
Phase I Residential/Cease Withdrawal Agricultural
A mandatory cease withdrawal restriction goes into effect today in the St. Lucie County Agricultural Area, impacting primarily permitted agricultural users who draw water directly from the C-23, C-24 and C-25 canals when canal levels drop below 14 feet. The agricultural users may use alternative water sources from the deep Floridan aquifer to augment their supplies during the emergency.

Phase I mandatory water use restrictions also apply to users (non-permit holders) with homes along the C-23, C-24 and C-25 canals in Martin and St. Lucie counties, as well as users supplied by the Tequesta Water Utility in a small portion of Southeastern Martin County. Phase I restrictions allow lawn watering and car washing three days a week: Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. for addresses that end in an odd number; Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. for even-number addresses.

Lake Okeechobee Service Area -
Phase II Restrictions
Phase II mandatory water use restrictions in areas surrounding Lake Okeechobee predominantly impact agricultural, industrial, and commercial water users in the Everglades Agricultural Area, and parts of Hendry, Glades, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, Lee and Martin counties. Also affected are a relatively small number of residential users whose water source is Lake Okeechobee or any of the surface water canals recharged by the lake, as well as utility customers in South Bay, Belle Glade, Pahokee and Clewiston.

Agricultural water users in these areas are required to reduce their consumption of surface water by 30 percent. These users have been notified personally of the specific nature of restrictions pertaining to this order and are encouraged to voluntarily exercise additional water conservation measures as practicable.

Residential users in the Lake Okeechobee Service Area who irrigate from surface water canals will be required to limit outdoor irrigation times to two days per week. Residents with odd home addresses will be allowed to water between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays, while residents with even home addresses will be allowed to water between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m. on Thursdays and Sundays. Car and boat washing are allowed only during the designated watering days and times.

The Phase II restrictions in the Lake Okeechobee Service Area apply to users who get their water from Lake Okeechobee, public utilities, canals, ponds and lakes. Groundwater sources (wells) are not restricted in the Lake Okeechobee Service Area because Lake Okeechobee and is not threatened by the water shortage in this area. The use of water for firefighting, safety, sanitation, health, medical and other essential purposes is not restricted.

Turn off sprinklers for a few days after it rains
The restrictions prohibit homeowners from operating their sprinkler systems on non-watering days. Irrigating three days a week or less is enough to keep everything green and saves thousands of gallons of water. In addition, the Phase I and Phase II restrictions allow low-volume, spot-watering using a hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the landscape watering days.

"We're hoping to bring water conservation practices into everyone's daily lifestyle, and the restrictions do just that," Wehle said. "Homeowners can conserve even more water by not watering for several days after a significant rainfall. If roughly 500,000 home-sprinkler systems were turned off each time it rains, we could keep over 1 billion gallons of water in the aquifer, reducing the need to recharge our aquifers from the Everglades and further reducing the advance of saltwater intrusion, which threatens our natural resources and coastal wellfields."

Specific rules also apply to consumptive use permit holders such as agriculture, nurseries, golf courses and other commercial and recreational users of water.

Residential and commercial water use restrictions are mandatory and will be enforced by local government through its law enforcement or zoning and code enforcement agencies. The South Florida Water Management District enforces the restrictions for consumptive water use permit holders.

In addition to the mandatory water use restrictions where applicable, residents in all areas of the District are encouraged to voluntarily save water both inside and outside the home. For additional information, residents can call the District's toll-free Water Conservation Hotline at (800) 662-8876 or contact their regional South Florida Water Management District Service Center.

Specific water restriction information, TV and radio public service announcements and other helpful water conservation tips are available at www.sfwmd.gov/conserve.

Restrictions In Brief

LAKE OKEECHOBEE SERVICE AREA PHASE II RESIDENTIAL WATER RESTRICTIONS*			LOWER EAST COAST & ST. LUCIE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL AREA NON-PERMIT HOLDERS PHASE I RESIDENTIAL WATER RESTRICTIONS*
ODD number addresses	2 Days Wednesday and Saturday Irrigation allowed: 4-8 a.m. Hand watering allowed: 5-7 p.m.		ODD number addresses	3 Days Monday, Wednesday and Saturday Irrigation allowed: 4-8 a.m. Hand watering allowed: 5-7 p.m.
EVEN number addresses	2 Days Thursday and Sunday Irrigation allowed: 4-8 a.m. Hand watering allowed: 5-7 p.m.		EVEN number addresses	3 Days Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday Irrigation allowed: 4-8 a.m. Hand watering allowed: 5-7 p.m.
*lots under 5 irrigated acres			*lots under 5 irrigated acres

###

The South Florida Water Management District is a regional, governmental agency that oversees the water resources in the southern half of the state - 16 counties from Orlando to the Keys. It is the oldest and largest of the state's five water management districts. The agency mission is to manage and protect water resources of the region by balancing and improving water quality, flood control, natural systems and water supply. A key initiative is cleanup and restoration of the Everglades.