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Total Watering Ban Not Prudent Now

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By DAVID MOORE

Special to the Tribune

Published: February 9, 2009

Thank you for your Jan. 31 editorial raising awareness about the ongoing three-year drought that has lowered river flows and regional water supplies to near record levels, and the concern that groundwater withdrawals may have to increase temporarily if the community does not achieve required conservation.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District shares your concerns and is working with Tampa Bay Water and its member governments to ensure all water use, especially groundwater, is kept to a minimum.

Since January 2007, one-day-watering-per-week restrictions have been in place throughout West-Central Florida. Last fall additional restrictions were enacted for the Tampa Bay area, including further limiting the hours when irrigation is allowed, reducing water use for aesthetic purposes like fountains, and cutting back allowable time for plant-establishment irrigation. Local governments were also required to give citations rather than warnings for first-time violators.

In addition, several emergency measures have been implemented, including further reliance on interconnects, the Tampa Bypass Canal and Tampa's Aquifer Storage and Recovery System.

Although these changes have been effective and groundwater withdrawals remain within limits, they have not reached their maximum effectiveness.

How many times have you driven through your neighborhood and seen lawns being watered multiple times a week? Excess water gushing down street gutters? Sprinklers running while it's raining? And, how many of us truly manage our lawn irrigation, only watering on our watering day and only when needed? How many of us "skipped a week" or two or three during the winter months or summer rainy season when lawns do not need as much water? And, how many of us have elected not to hook up to reclaimed water when it's readily available?

We all need to not only abide by the current restrictions, but to look for additional ways to reduce usage. Set a good example, and if you see someone wasting water, talk to them about the need to conserve and how easy it is. And remind them that saving water not only protects the environment but saves money.

Eliminating watering your yard just once per month can save as much as $10 on your bill, a significant savings especially during these difficult economic times.

The Tampa Bay community has fought long and hard to restore lakes and wetlands impacted by groundwater pumping in the region. In 1998 a visionary plan was reached that required a reduction in groundwater withdrawals from 160 to 90 million gallons per day on an annual average basis. At the time, many "water experts" scoffed that it would never happen. They were wrong. Groundwater withdrawals in 2008 averaged 87 million gallons per day!

Your editorial asks why the district would not simply declare a total ban on outdoor watering to ensure groundwater limits are not exceeded. Such a ban is an available tool, but only as a last resort. The district is well aware that such a ban could lead to the ruin of thousands of acres of landscaping and have enormous economic ramifications. Also, massive amounts of water would be required to re-establish lawns after the drought.

A more prudent action at this time is to ensure that we realize maximum savings from the existing restrictions and emergency measures. We are long past the days when pumpage from the regional wellfields exceeded 150 million gallons a day on an annual basis.

Today's challenge is to avoid drifting above the 90-million-gallons-per-day annual average commitment, even on a temporary basis, until the rains return and the region's major reservoir is fully operational. This is an aggressive but achievable goal and will require everyone's best efforts.

Working together we can get through this drought without exceeding sustainable supplies. If everyone saves a little it can add up to a lot. For more conservation tips please visit WaterMatters.org/drought.

The writer is executive director of the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

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