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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…

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…

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…

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…

More Tips for Saving Water Outdoors

• Do not leave sprinklers unattended. Use a kitchen timer to remind yourself to turn off sprinklers.
• Water slowly to reduce runoff and to allow deep penetration.
• Observe the watering schedule for your address.
• Dig out water-loving weeds and cultivate soil often.
• Use a rain barrel to…

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…

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…

table(webalert). |Who:|The sisters of Alpha Omicron Pi, University of South Florida Housing and Residential Education Department, Ripply Drop the water drop mascot and Southwest Florida Water Management District staff.||*What:*|The sisters of Alpha Omicron Pi will receive a water conservation trophy at a breakfast ceremony at the sorority house. The sorority won a competition to collect the most pledges to save water as part of the Every Drop Counts! water conservation…

Doug Tharp, Governing Board member, leads his fellow Board members and District staff on a tour of The Villages. During a tour in April, Governing and Basin Board members, as well as members of the Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority, had an opportunity to see firsthand how The Villages is putting water conservation and reuse into practice. The trolley tour was led by Governing Board member Doug Tharp, who resides in The Villages, and Trey Arnett of…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is reminding residents that they do not need to water their lawns because of the recent rain.Your lawn only needs one-half to three-quarters of an inch of water.Most of the District received several inches of rain within the last week and more rain is forecasted for this week, so residents can skip their irrigation day.Outdoor water use can account for up to fifty percent of residential water use. Skipping a week of irrigation…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted Tuesday to extend the currentWater Shortage Order, which restricts lawn watering throughout the District to one-day-per-week, until Sept. 30.The originaldeclaration of water shortage, which was…

Almost half of the counties within the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s 16-county region are now under a Phase III “Extreme” Water Shortage Alert.The District identifies four possible levels of water shortage, beginning with “moderate” and increasing in intensity through “severe,” “extreme” and “critical.”With river flows, aquifer levels, and lake levels remaining far below normal, the region…

_District partnering with Sarasota County on purchase_The "Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board(Governing Board)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard approved the acquisition of conservation easements on the Walton and Longino ranches in Sarasota County today, which will link a regional corridor of conservation lands between the Myakka and Peace rivers.The "District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl…

Who: Southwest Florida Water Management District staff and approximately 70 childrenWhat: The District’s 13th Annual “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day.” Students between the ages of nine and 18 will spend the day at the District headquarters and service offices learning about District careers. This year the event will focus on empowering the youth to conserve water.The opening ceremony begins at 8:30 a.m. Following the ceremony, the students will…

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…

table(webalert). |Who:|The sisters of Alpha Omicron Pi, University of South Florida Housing and Residential Education Department, Ripply Drop the water drop mascot and Southwest Florida Water Management District staff.||*What:*|The sisters of Alpha Omicron Pi will receive a water conservation trophy at a breakfast ceremony at the sorority house. The sorority won a competition to collect the most pledges to save water as part of the Every Drop Counts! water conservation…