The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ "Governing Board(Governing Board)":/about/governingboard Tuesday renewed and modified a water use permit for the City of Bushnell.
The modified permit increases the permitted quantities for the city. The previous annual average permitted quantity was 550,000 gallons of water per day. The new permitted quantity is 1.37 million gallons per day.
The increased quantities are based on population projections, which are predicted to increase from 2,673 to 9,112 people, primarily due to the expansion of the city's service area. The city's current adjusted per capita water usage is 180 gallons per person per day; however, the modified permit requires that the per capita rate decrease to 165 gallons per person per day by Dec. 31, 2014, and to 150 gallons by Dec. 31, 2019. In 2008 the Governing Board voted to require all water utilities in the District's northern counties to achieve a per capita of 150 gallons or less per person per day by 2019. Previously, the District had only required water utilities in designated Water Use Caution Areas to meet or be under the 150 daily per capita limit.
The future availability of reclaimed water was also considered in evaluating the permit. Reclaimed water is not currently used, but approximately 300,000 gallons per day of reclaimed water is projected to be available by 2020.
The permit requires the city to report monthly meter readings from all withdrawal points and to modify the permit if an additional source of water, such as reclaimed water, becomes available.
The City of Bushnell permit expires March 29, 2021.
The modified permit increases the permitted quantities for the city. The previous annual average permitted quantity was 550,000 gallons of water per day. The new permitted quantity is 1.37 million gallons per day.
The increased quantities are based on population projections, which are predicted to increase from 2,673 to 9,112 people, primarily due to the expansion of the city's service area. The city's current adjusted per capita water usage is 180 gallons per person per day; however, the modified permit requires that the per capita rate decrease to 165 gallons per person per day by Dec. 31, 2014, and to 150 gallons by Dec. 31, 2019. In 2008 the Governing Board voted to require all water utilities in the District's northern counties to achieve a per capita of 150 gallons or less per person per day by 2019. Previously, the District had only required water utilities in designated Water Use Caution Areas to meet or be under the 150 daily per capita limit.
The future availability of reclaimed water was also considered in evaluating the permit. Reclaimed water is not currently used, but approximately 300,000 gallons per day of reclaimed water is projected to be available by 2020.
The permit requires the city to report monthly meter readings from all withdrawal points and to modify the permit if an additional source of water, such as reclaimed water, becomes available.
The City of Bushnell permit expires March 29, 2021.