South Florida moves to Two-Day-a-Week Emergency Water Restrictions
SFWMD revises landscape irrigation restrictions for most of region effective April 18

West Palm Beach – In response to improved regional water resource conditions, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) recently modified emergency water restrictions across most of the agency’s 16-county region, transitioning from one-day-week landscape irrigation restrictions to two-day-a-week watering.

The District’s nine-member Governing Board adopted a “Modified Phase II Severe Water Shortage Order” effective April 18, instituting an up to two-day-a-week watering schedule for residential landscape irrigation. The schedule will continue conserving regional water supplies as part of the District’s response to the regional rainfall deficit. Landscape irrigation accounts for up to half of all household water consumption in Florida. 

Under the water shortage emergency order, the up to two-day-a-week landscape irrigation restrictions go into effect April 18, with local governments encouraged to refrain from enforcement until Thursday, May 1, allowing residents with sufficient time to become aware of the modified restrictions.   The modified mandatory restrictions apply to all water from traditional sources, including water from public utilities, private wells, canals, ponds and lakes. Users of 100-percent reclaimed water are exempt from the restrictions but are encouraged to conserve water voluntarily.

Highlights of the Modified Phase II water shortage order include:

• Residents and businesses of St. Lucie County, including those in Port St. Lucie, are limited to a two-day-per-week landscape irrigation schedule with two "watering windows:"
  • Odd street addresses may irrigate lawns and landscapes on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 12 a.m. to 10 a.m. and/or 4 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
  • Even street addresses may irrigate lawns and landscapes on Thursdays and Sundays from 12 a.m. to 10 a.m. and/or 4 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
  • The SFWMD recommends the efficient use of water, which includes placing a maximum of about three-quarters of an inch to an inch of water once per week on lawns and accomplishing irrigation during the early morning hours when temperatures and wind speed are the lowest to reduce evaporation losses.
• Hand-watering with one hose fitted with an automatic shut-off nozzle is allowed for 10 minutes per day for landscape stress relief and to prevent plant die-off.
• Low-volume irrigation, including the use of drip and microjet systems that apply water directly to plant root zones, is not restricted but should be voluntarily reduced.
• Additional watering days and times are allocated for the establishment of new lawns and landscapes
• No restrictions apply to other outside water uses, such as for car and boat washing, pressure cleaning of paved surfaces, decorative fountains and water-based recreation (e.g. swimming pools, water slides).
• Golf courses must reduce their allocated water use by 30 percent.
• Agricultural and nursery water users in the Lake Okeechobee Service Area remain subject to Modified Phase III restrictions 

• Golf courses, nurseries, and agricultural users District-wide should follow SFWMD water use restrictions. 

The District implemented one-day-a-week restrictions region-wide in January for the first time in the agency’s history, based on extreme water shortage conditions and a continued rainfall deficit of close to 25 inches. The District uses its emergency authority to implement and modify water restrictions and bases these decisions on the status of the region’s water resources.

Restrictions Make a Difference
Implementing water use restrictions has already proved effective during the continued regional water shortage. Based on data reported by 46 public water utilities in Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Collier, Lee and Miami-Dade counties, an estimated 11.7 billion gallons of potable (drinking) water was saved over three months between  March 22, 2007, when restrictions first went into effect, through June 30, 2007. Savings were most pronounced on non-watering days. For example, one day per week landscape irrigation restrictions instituted in Broward and Palm Beach counties saved an estimated 130 million gallons a day of potable water.

The South Florida Water Management District also worked with 23 local drainage districts, as well as agricultural users, to hold water within the local drainage district water management systems. This cooperative effort prevented nearly 14 billion gallons of water from being discharged to tide since April of last year.

Current Conditions
Above-average rainfall in February, March and early April has raised surface and groundwater levels in most areas of the District’s 16 counties. At 10.53 feet above sea level this morning, Lake Okeechobee’s water level continues to make modest gains and is expected to continue an upward trend. Levels today are about five inches higher than on this date last year, however, remain about four feet below the historical average for this time of year. Water levels in the three Everglades Water Conservation Areas in western Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties are near or above their optimum levels for this time of year and nearly a foot higher than this time last year.

Groundwater levels are also higher now than this time last year, with the exception of a few wells in Lee and Collier counties that remain low. Water levels in the Kissimmee River are at their regulation, or optimum, levels and higher than this time last year.

South Florida's dry season begins in November and ends with the start of the wet season, typically in June. One of the season's driest months is April, which averages only 2.5 inches of rain District-wide.

For additional information on the water shortage, irrigation restrictions or water conservation, call the SFWMD’s toll-free Water Conservation Hotline at 1-800-662-8876, visit www.sfwmd.gov or contact a regional SFWMD service center. Helpful water conservation tips also are available at www.savewaterfl.com.

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.

For more information, contact:
Linette Trabulsy
Media Relations/Community Outreach
South Florida Water Management District
Martin/St. Lucie Service Center
780 S.E. Indian Street
Stuart, FL 34997
(772) 223-2600 x3605