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More than 700 of the best and brightest minds in water reuse met in Tampa this September to take part in the 22nd Annual WateReuse Symposium, which focused on water reuse and desalination. This is the first time the WateReuse Association has held its annual event in the Tampa Bay area. The association is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance the beneficial and efficient use of water resources through education, sound science and technology using… Read more

Hotels and motels can celebrate National Tourism Week by signing up to participate in the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s successful water conservation program known as Water Conservation Hotel and Motel Program (Water C.H.A.M.P.)National Tourism Week is May 13 through May 20. According to VISIT FLORIDA, the states official tourism marketing organization, approximately 85.8 million people visited the state last year. That translates to more than $57… Read more

Nine Marion 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 Marion County to the… Read more

A Southwest Florida Water Management District employee who has devoted his career to reclaimed water has received national recognition for his dedication.Anthony Andrade, a project manager and senior water conservation analyst, was named the “WateReuse Person of the Year” for 2006. The award was presented at the 2006 WateReuse Symposium, which was held jointly by the WateReuse Association, American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation (… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District honored Susan Kelly, director of the Sumter County Extension, for her role in promoting water resources education through the Lake Panasoffkee Celebration. A total of 26 projects were recognized Wednesday during the “Partners in Watershed Education Conference” at the Crowne Plaza Tampa East Hotel.Through a 2007 Community Education Grant, the Sumter County Extension held this one-day community event that focused on… Read more

 Just like a great workout strengthens your body, your lawn can benefit from a little training to become healthier and more resilient. This winter, help your lawn build its “water muscles” by skipping a week between irrigation sessions. Cooler temperatures mean your grass naturally requires less water and this seasonal adjustment can save you time, money and resources.  Why Should You Train Your Lawn?When you reduce watering during the winter… Read more

Longevity Recognized When Ron Vanlerberghe started working at the District, Lyndon B. Johnson was president, Florida was home to just over 6 million people, and the first issue of the alternative magazine “Rolling Stone” was about to hit newsstands. Thirty-five years later a lot has changed in our world, as well as the District. Florida now has more than 16 million people, “Rolling Stone” is considered mainstream, and Ron has become the longest serving District employee… Read more

Susan Douglas, Florida Water StarSM program coordinator, presents employee Fred Hartless with his Florida Water StarSM certificate. Hartless is the first District employee to earn the certification. For every drop of water conserved, Fred Hartless knows more money will stay in his wallet. That’s why Hartless made sure his new Wesley Chapel home was water efficient. He recently made it official by becoming the first District employee to get his home… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently recognized eight Pinellas County projects as outstanding school, community grant or volunteer programs that focus on water resources education. A total of 52 projects were recognized during the October 7 Reflect, Connect, Celebrate Water Resources Education Conference at the Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center in Tarpon Springs.To select the awardees, District staff reviewed grants applied for by… Read more

Your Questions Answered October 2020 If you received your property tax assessments recently, you may have noticed a line item from the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District.) The District manages the water resources through a variety of activities that support water supply, water quality, flood protection and natural systems. The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Budget Manager Mike Cacioppo explains how your tax dollars… Read more

March 2023 Q: Why is it important to use best practices when visiting rivers and springs? A:  The District has found direct links between river recreational use and environmental damage. For example, visitors leaving kayaks while on the river have trampled vegetation and eroded riverbanks and sand point bars. Also, numerous trees have been damaged from climbing and rope swinging. Over time, these actions can have negative long-term… Read more

Five Hernando County teachers were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.Mary Margaret Hull, District lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Hernando County to the strong partnership with Hernando County Schools. Jeff Yungmann, curriculum supervisor for Hernando County Schools, serves as the District's liaison to teachers and helped… Read more

Six Highlands County teachers were awarded Splash! school grants through the Southwest Florida Water Management District.Mary Margaret Hull, District lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Highlands County to the strong partnership with Highlands County Schools. Dorothea Strickland, Highlands County science curriculum specialist, serves as the District's liaison to teachers and helped get the word out."The District recognizes… Read more

March 2024Q:  What is a spring?A:  A spring occurs when groundwater that is under pressure flows through natural cracks in the aquifer and creates a natural opening in the ground. The pressure causes the water to flow from the aquifer to the earth’s surface. Our groundwater is the result of seasonal rainfall that soaks into the ground and into the aquifer. Springs can occur as an individual vent but more often as many… Read more

The District is nearing completion of its effort to upgrade the datum, or starting point, used to record water level elevation. The upgrade will improve accuracy of water elevation, which is measured in feet above the mean sea level.Staff are projected to finish the upgrade by completing the southern regions of the District in 2016.  The datum is being upgraded from the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988… Read more

Twenty-eight Pinellas County teachers were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.Mary Margaret Hull, District lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Pinellas County to the strong partnership with Pinellas County Schools. Julie Poth, K–8 science supervisor for Pinellas County Schools, serves as the District's liaison to teachers and… Read more

More than 350 west-central Florida hotels are part of Water CHAMPSM. Stay with a participating property — and save our precious water resources.Choose a county to view participants:Charlotte »   Citrus »   DeSoto »   Hardee »   … Read more

Nine Citrus County teachers are among the record number of educators who applied for and received Splash! mini-grants through the Southwest Florida Water Management District.This year the District awarded Splash! mini-grants to 209 educators totaling more than $413,000. That’s 72 more grant recipients than last year.Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, attributes the increase in awardees to an increase in promotion among the District’s school… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board Tuesday approved an agreement with Polk County as part of a plan to protect and preserve thousands of acres of environmentally sensitive land.The District and the county have agreed to jointly acquire the parcel, which is approximately 3,509 acres, for $7.369 million. Polk County will provide $2 million while the District will provide $5.369 million. Funds for the District's portion of the purchase are… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is offering Community Education Grants to members of the community who want to make a positive impact on the water resources in their area.The goal of the District’s Community Education Grant Program is to actively engage adults in water-related issues pertaining to conservation, protection and preservation. Funded by the District’s Basin Boards, the program is intended to motivate communities to get involved in… Read more