The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has scheduled restoration work on the Orange State Canal located in Citrus County. The work is scheduled to take place from May 16 to June 15.

Boat access from the Withlacoochee River through the canal will not be available during the scheduled restoration work. Activity is scheduled to occur during daylight hours between Monday and Friday each week.

Restoration work on the Orange State Canal will focus on removing a sand bar in the canal, approximately one-half mile west of the Withlacoochee River. This sand bar, which has formed over the past several decades, currently limits the District’s ability to move water through the Floral City Structure, which is located on the canal near the Trails End road crossing.

The Orange State Canal was originally constructed in the late 1880s to transport citrus from Floral City to Lake Panasoffkee, where it was sent north by railroad. Today, the District uses the canal to convey water between the Withlacoochee River and the Tsala Apopka Chain-of-Lakes to enhance recreation and assist with flood protection.

For additional questions, please call the District at (352) 796-7211.

We're halfway through Water Conservation Month, and the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) encourages citizens to do their part to save water in and around their homes.

Here's more water saving tips to lower your monthly water bill and save hundreds of gallons of water:

• Ensure rain sensors are operating properly. Irrigating during or after significant rainfall is a major cause of outdoor water waste and can cost you money.
• Check that all irrigation spray nozzles, or sprinklers, are irrigating areas efficiently and effectively. Inspection and maintenance should be done regularly.
• Upgrade existing irrigation controllers to SMART technology, which can reduce irrigation use by up to 23% and put more money back in your pocket.
• Switch to WaterSense labeled products including indoor showerheads, bathroom facets and toilets to save hundreds of gallons of water a week.
• Consider updating appliances like dishwashers and washing machines to Energy Star rated products. This can significantly cut back your water use.

For more information about water conservation, please visit the District's website at WaterMatters.org/Conservation.

Why a Septic-to-Sewer Conversion Program is Key to Protecting our Springs
Guest Editorial

The Springs Coast is one of the most vibrant and dynamic regions in Florida, providing both economic and ecological benefit to the communities that call it home. The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is the leading scientific agency on springs in the region with the mission of improving and restoring these natural treasures.

Over the years, these treasures have been affected both by the increase in people moving to the Springs Coast and visiting the springs as well as through the historical cycles of rainfall and droughts. Nitrogen concentrations also have increased in most springs throughout the District. Excess nitrate concentrations can be harmful to aquatic life and result in algae growth, which can reduce water clarity.

What many residents and visitors who love our springs may not know, is that septic tanks contribute 15 to 42 percent of the current nitrogen pollution in the District's five first-magnitude springs, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP.) Other nitrogen sources that affect our springs include agricultural operations, lawn fertilization, storm water runoff and wastewater treatment facilities.

This is a critical time for the future of our springs. That's why the District is working closely with DEP and our local government partners to implement projects to conserve and restore the ecological balance of our spring systems. The time is now to begin removing septic systems in priority areas within the springsheds. The District's Governing Board has committed to assist in funding this effort to protect and restore the spring systems as well as reduce the financial burden on the local communities.

Septic-to-sewer conversions would require the installation of transmission lines and, in some cases, upgrades to or the creation of wastewater treatment facilities. Obviously, this won't happen overnight and will need to be addressed in stages, starting in priority areas. The District's Governing Board also will require strong protections in contractual funding language and/or local ordinances to ensure that the benefits for any District-funded projects are not offset by the approval of new conventional septic systems in the springsheds.

Our local and state partners are vital in our efforts to improve and protect our springs. We appreciate their urgency to address septic systems in the springsheds to improve our beautiful springs for future generations. You can find more information about springs on our website at WaterMatters.org/Springs.

Brian J. Armstrong, P.G.
Executive Director
Southwest Florida Water Management District