The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will observe May 19-25 as Water Reuse Week. Governor Rick Scott proclaimed Florida Water Reuse Week to highlight the importance of water reuse to the sustainability of Florida's water supply and overall ecosystem. Water reuse is essential to ensuring safe, clean and sustainable water resources.
As part of the District's efforts to highlight water reuse awareness throughout our 16-county coverage area, here are five facts about how we are working together to protect Florida's water supply:
•The District has partnered with Tampa Bay Water to create 110 million gallons per day of new alternative water supplies in the Tampa Bay area.
•Our District has the lowest per capita usage in the state, with our consumers using 98 gallons per person, per day in the Tampa Bay area. In Florida, the statewide average is 133 gallons per person, per day.
•Ten percent of all water we use is reclaimed water, which offsets 160 million gallons per day of groundwater throughout the District.
•District-wide, we have funded enough reclaimed water projects for pipes reaching from Tampa to Washington D.C. (913 miles.)
•Since 1992, the District has funded indoor and outdoor water conservation projects ranging from toilet rebate/replacements to landscape and irrigation evaluations, conserving over 14.5 million gallons per day of potable water. That's up to $217 million that didn't need to be spent on creating new alternative water supply.
Florida began celebrating Water Reuse Week in 2007, after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Reuse Program as a national leader in water efficiency.
As part of the District's efforts to highlight water reuse awareness throughout our 16-county coverage area, here are five facts about how we are working together to protect Florida's water supply:
•The District has partnered with Tampa Bay Water to create 110 million gallons per day of new alternative water supplies in the Tampa Bay area.
•Our District has the lowest per capita usage in the state, with our consumers using 98 gallons per person, per day in the Tampa Bay area. In Florida, the statewide average is 133 gallons per person, per day.
•Ten percent of all water we use is reclaimed water, which offsets 160 million gallons per day of groundwater throughout the District.
•District-wide, we have funded enough reclaimed water projects for pipes reaching from Tampa to Washington D.C. (913 miles.)
•Since 1992, the District has funded indoor and outdoor water conservation projects ranging from toilet rebate/replacements to landscape and irrigation evaluations, conserving over 14.5 million gallons per day of potable water. That's up to $217 million that didn't need to be spent on creating new alternative water supply.
Florida began celebrating Water Reuse Week in 2007, after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Reuse Program as a national leader in water efficiency.