In Florida, the winter is full of festivals and events, perfect places for the Southwest Florida Water Management District to spread the word about water conservation!
The District will continue to spread its conservation message this year by bringing the comforts of a private, water-conserving bathroom to several community festivals, including the 6th Annual African American Heritage Celebration. The event is Feb. 26 at the Pinewood Cultural Center in Largo.
“Special events provide unique opportunities for us to bring our message of conserving water to a variety of audiences,” said Beth Bartos, communications manager for the District.
Last year approximately 100,000 people visited the trailer during the 16 days it spent at festivals in the Hillsborough River Basin, Pinellas-Anclote River Basin and Withlacoochee River Basin. The Hillsborough River basin includes portions of Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties, the Pinellas-Anclote River Basin includes Pinellas County and a portion of Pasco County and the Withlacoochee River basin includes portions of Citrus, Hernando, Levy, Marion, Pasco and Sumter counties.
“The water conservation restroom trailer is a practical and effective tool that continues to receive a positive response from the public,” said Melissa Roe, project manager.
The trailer features air conditioning, six private half baths with water conservation features, running water, lights, mirrors and a bathroom attendant who will keep the stalls clean and stocked.
Although the trailer is an alternative to some bathrooms found at large events, these bathrooms aren’t just about convenience. A water filtration and circulation system for the toilets makes water conservation the main focus. This re-circulation system allows for the water used in the sink to go down the drain and circulate back to the toilet’s tank. Once flushed, the toilet water is filtered and chemically treated then returned to the toilets’ tanks. Although state-of-the-art for this event, it’s a system similar to those currently used on airplanes.
By using this filtration system, the water conservation restroom trailer saves more water than a standard restroom trailer. The tank of a regular restroom trailer has to be pumped out after 750 to 800 uses; a water conservation restroom trailer tank doesn’t have to be serviced until approximately 7,000 uses.
In addition to providing an interactive opportunity for visitors to experience water conservation in action, the trailer also features water conservation displays and materials, including the District’s “12 Simple Ways to Save Water” publication.
Water conservation information is also available on the District’s web site at www.WaterMatters.org.