The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board Tuesday approved a revised agreement with the St. Johns River Water Management District to provide uniform lawn and landscape irrigation measures throughout unincorporated Marion County and the City of Ocala during both temporary drought and normal year-round conditions.
Marion County and Ocala are divided between the two water management districts, with the boundary roughly being the path of Interstate 75. Before the agreement was approved, the western and eastern sides of both local governments had separate rules governing lawn and landscape irrigation days and times. Although similar in intent, some of the details were different, resulting in residents being confused over which watering restrictions to follow.
Staff from both water management districts worked together to develop an initial agreement last year. This original agreement, which was approved in January 2008, only addressed the county’s situation. It required both sides of the county to follow the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s water shortage order and was slated to expire this month.
Marion County and Ocala asked the two agencies to revise the agreement in order to include the city and recognize the St. Johns River Water Management District’s new year-round water conservation measures. The recently adopted measures include one-day-per-week irrigation during the winter months.
Both water management districts have agreed to make the requested changes. In addition, the revised agreement will maintain uniformity during future drought events by allowing both sides of the county and city to follow any water shortage emergency orders declared by the St. Johns River Water Management District and not those declared by the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
The Villages will remain under the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s water restrictions because its water supply is withdrawn in Sumter County.
For more information about watering restrictions in your area, contact your local utility, or visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/restrictions/.