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During the summer months of June, July, August and September in Florida, yards need no more than ½ to ¾ inch of water every 2 to 3 days, which includes both rainfall and irrigation. The frequency and duration of watering will depend on several factors, such as the type of grass, soil conditions and local weather patterns. Here are some general guidelines:How often can I water my lawn?If your lawn hasn't received enough water from rainfall, watering…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is working with Manatee County Utilities to help their customers save money and conserve water by providing rebates to customers who replace their high-volume toilets.Residential, commercial and industrial customers within the Manatee County Utilities service area, which includes western unincorporated Manatee County and the cities of Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach, are eligible to participate in the rebate…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is kicking off a water conservation campaign called "Every Drop Counts!(/Every Drop Counts!)":/EveryDropCounts on USF's Tampa campus. District officials estimate that the average person in this region uses 111 gallons of water per day. The program offers ideas for college students to reduce their use in every day activities. The District says they are not asking people to go…

Hotels and motels in both Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa saved 35 million gallons of water during 2004 while participating in the Southwest Florida Water Management District water conservation program known as Water C.H.A.M.P. or Water Conservation Hotel and Motel Program.Based on City of Tampa and Hillsborough County potable water rates, that translates into more than $180,000 in savings per year to participating hoteliers.The Water C.H.A.M.P. is a “linens…

Nineteen Pasco County teachers are among the educators who were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.This year 206 "Splash! grants(Splash! School Grants)":/education/schoolgrants were awarded to educators across "the District's 16-county region":/data/map.Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Pasco County to the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has declared a water shortage emergency for the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority’s reservoir and two Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) wellfields to help protect the drinking water supply for over 250,000 residents.Executive orderSWF 07-045 signed Monday by Richard Owen, deputy executive director of the District’s Division of Resource…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is building upon the success of its award-winning Water Conservation Hotel And Motel Program (Water CHAMP) by launching a new companion program for restaurants.The program, known as the Water Program for Restaurant Outreach (Water PRO), is being launched to coincide with National Tourism Week, May 10-18.A restaurant uses an average of 5,800 gallons of water per day, which equals more than two million gallons of water per year.…

Your Questions Answered November 2019 We often receive questions from the public about wetlands and why they are important. Tasha Dailey is certified as a Professional Wetland Scientist by the Society of Wetland Scientists and explains why wetlands are a critical part of our natural environment. Q: What is a wetland? A: A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded by water, either permanently or seasonally, where…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has teamed up with the City of St. Petersburg to help restaurants conserve water by replacing the pre-rinse spray valves on dishwashing equipment.The St. Petersburg Spray Valve Replacement Project will replace approximately 500 conventional high water use spray valves at no cost to the establishment. Pre-rinse valves are used to clean food from dishes, utensils, and pots and pans. Conventional pre-rinse spray valves use from 2…

Many residents in the District experienced a wetter-than-average 2015 and more could be on the way for 2016. Most counties saw annual rainfall totals above historical averages, although only Pinellas and Hillsborough received above normal amounts. Pinellas, with nearly 60 inches last year, received the most rain among the District’s county averages.  That’s partly because of record rain that occurred from July, 26 2015 to Aug. 7, 2015, which brought historic…

Whether you are a casual viewer or an avid birder working on your life birding list, bird-watching opportunities abound on all District lands. Sites with the best bird-watching opportunities are part of the Great Florida Birding Trail and are listed in the column on the right side of this page. Maps of the west coast portion of the trail can be obtained from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission web site at…

Super Saver Some Hillsborough County and Tampa hotels and motels participating in the District’s Water Conservation Hotel and Motel Program (C.H.A.M.P.) received special recognition at a recent Hillsborough County Hotel and Motel Association’s monthly meeting. Heidi McCree, Governing Board Vice-Chair and Hillsborough River Basin Board Chair ex officio, congratulated the participants for taking an active role in conserving water. During 2004 while participating…

 Dave Eggers, Dunedin mayor-elect; Lou Kavouras, District deputy executive director; Maritza Rovira-Forino, Governing Board member; Carl Krave, Pocket Neighborhoods, Inc. president; and Sallie Parks, Governing Board treasurer, celebrate the first property to receive the Florida Water Star℠ Gold certification. Right: High-efficiency fixtures and a tankless water heater are featured in the home. District Governing Board members and staff recently launched the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management’s Peace River Basin Board honored students and teachers from Lakeland Christian School and Barbara Carlton for their commitment to water resources.The board presented the students and teachers from Lakeland Christian School with a Water Stewardship Award and Carlton with a special recognition award.The board chose the Lakeland Christian School’s “Water Wiseguys” project to receive the Water Stewardship Award…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Governing Board approved the purchase of Kirkland Ranch in Pasco County. This 940-acre parcel is located in Wesley Chapel and has been primarily used for cattle grazing and tree farming. The Kirkland family has owned this property since 1956. The Kirkland Ranch property is approximately 59% uplands and 41% wetlands. The areas surrounding the property are predominately residential single-family homes and are…

Two Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) projects received funding from the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI) conservation cost-share program. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) will provide $151,758 to pay for these projects. The following projects, located in Polk County, are estimated to save approximately 49,500 million gallons per day:

• The Polk Regional Water Cooperative’s rebate program will offer various…

h2. May 8-16 is National Travel and Tourism WeekVisitors to west-central Florida can enjoy the area's natural beauty and still make a difference in preserving its natural resources, thanks to conservation programs developed by the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us. National Travel and Tourism Week is May 8-16, and the District offers many ways to celebrate tourism without sacrificing the…

The District has many last-minute gift and decorating ideas that can save and protect water resources and create new holiday traditions. Here are some gift ideas:  • Rain barrels are a great way to conserve water and an inexpensive gift when you pick one up at a local extension office. • Compost bins provide nutrients for a garden and keep food scraps out of the garbage disposal. A garbage disposal uses up to 4 gallons of water per minute. • Raised garden…

With the arrival of the holiday season, the Southwest Florida Water Management District has many gift and decorating ideas that can save and protect water resources and create new holiday traditions.Here are some gift ideas:* Rain barrels are a great way to conserve water and an inexpensive gift when you pick one up at a local extension office.* Compost bins provide nutrients for a garden and keep food scraps out of the garbage disposal. A garbage disposal uses up to 4…