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A Polk County builder and landscaper are being recognized for incorporating water conservation and water-wise landscaping into a model home’s design with the county’s first Water-Wise Landscape Award.Tapia Construction and McDowell Landscape Services took first place for the Leonardo IV model in the Polk County Fall Parade of Homes. The Parade of Homes is being held through Oct. 28, 4 6 p.m. during the week and 11 a.m. 6 p.m. on the weekend. Visitors can see the model at…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.watermatters.org is encouraging residents who irrigate their lawns to take advantage of the summer rains and "watch the weather, wait to water."During the summer months of June, July, August and September, yards need no more than 3/4 inch of water every 2 to 3 days. If your lawn has received enough water from rainfall, then you can turn off your irrigation system and turn it back on when needed.The simplest way to…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Brooksville office has been certified by the Hernando County Florida Yards and Neighborhoods (FYN) Program as a Florida-friendly yard.The Florida-friendly yard certification recognizes landscapes that save water, reduce the use of fertilizer and pesticides, as well as reduce runoff and provide native habitat for birds, butterflies and other wildlife.Work to obtain the certification began about two years ago when Jeff…

Five Polk County projects expected to reach up to 104,000 people were awarded Community Education Grants from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org. These grants offer up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources. This year the District awarded "35 grants Districtwide(2010 Community Education Grant Projects)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl…

Sustainability and environmental policy professionals recently gathered to talk about the state of water in Florida. Sustainable Florida hosted the forum in Sarasota to discuss issues surrounding water quality, quantity and resiliency. The District’s Executive Director Brian Armstrong spoke at the event about District programs that focus on water quality and quantity. “Water quality and quantity is extremely important to our state and I am proud to share our…

Governing Board Chair H. Paul Senft Jr. After graduating from Emory University in Atlanta, H. Paul Senft Jr. entered the U.S. Air Force Reserve, where his education was put to good use. “The Air Force taught me to be a plumber,” said the new District Governing Board chair. “You could say they started me in the water business.” Paul smiled. Quiet and unassuming in appearance, Paul combines a wry sense of humor with a competitive drive to excel, a…

Guest speakers and songs will be featured at the 6th Annual Marion County Springs Festival, which is being held Saturday, Sept. 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Silver River State Park.A variety of experts will speak about Florida’s springs and springs protection during the festival, including Chris Zajac, an environmental scientist with the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Zajac will talk about the District’s projects on the Rainbow River. Other…

The District encourages residents who irrigate their lawns to take advantage of the summer rains and “watch the weather, wait to water.” During the summer months of June, July, August and September, yards need no more than 3/4 inch of water every two to three days. If your lawn has received enough water from rainfall, then you can turn off your irrigation system and turn it back on when needed. The simplest way to determine if your yard needs water is to look for these…

The District encourages residents who irrigate their lawns to take advantage of the summer rains and “watch the weather, wait to water.” During the summer months of June, July, August and September, yards need no more than 3/4 inch of water every two to three days. If your lawn has received enough water from rainfall, then you can turn off your irrigation system and turn it back on when needed. The simplest way to determine if your yard needs water is to look for these…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District approved funding for the fourth phase of the Pinellas County Ultra Low-flow Toilet Rebate Project.The project is a cooperatively funded effort between Pinellas County and the District’s Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board. The goal of the fourth phase of the project is to promote water conservation by providing toilet rebates of up to $100 for each high-volume toilet or urinal replaced with a low-flow model. The goal is…

Two areas of the District’s website were recently redesigned and enhanced with new user-friendly features. ePermitting The District’s new ePermitting website, WaterMatters.org/permits, combines the previous ePermitting and Permits and Rules webpages. “The same helpful information and features on…

The District’s new public awareness campaign is encouraging residents who irrigate their lawns to skip a week during the cooler months. According to research by the University of Florida, as temperatures grow cooler, grass doesn’t need to be watered as often. The “Skip a Week” campaign is using radio and print advertisements to encourage reduced outdoor irrigation. The ads highlight the following tips people can use to determine when their grass needs water. Your…

Two Pasco County projects that are expected to reach about 10,000 people were awarded Community Education Grants from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. These grants provide up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 38 grants Districtwide for a total of $136,598. This is the 11th year Community Education Grants have been available.The overall goal of the Community…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board today agreed to help pay for a $235 million project to produce 25 million gallons of water per day to meet water supply needs in the Tampa Bay area.Known as the System Configuration II project, the Tampa Bay Water project would take additional water from the Hillsborough River and Tampa Bypass Canal during mid- to high-flow periods to be treated and stored in TBW’s C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir.The…

Water Wise Winners Two homebuilders each walked away with the equivalent of an “Academy Award” for incorporating water conservation landscaping into their designs. The Gibraltar Homes’ Caterina III model received the Water-Wise Landscaping Award in Manatee County and the Lee Wetherington Homes’ Opal model received the top prize for Sarasota County. The winners were each presented with a plaque at the 2004 Parade of Homes Awards Gala of the Home Builders…

Parcels With No Water Resource Benefits May Be Offered for Sale The District is hoping to increase efficiencies and save taxpayer dollars by returning surplus parcels of land to the private sector. The Governing Board asked staff members to assess the District’s land holdings, looking for properties that may not be needed. The District protects more than 436,000 acres of land within its boundaries. District lands include natural floodplains, aquifer recharge areas…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently approved an agreement providing funding assistance for the Pinellas County Ultra Low-Flow Toilet Rebate Project.The project is a cooperatively funded effort between Pinellas County and the District’s Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board. The goal of the fifth phase of the project is to promote water conservation by providing toilet rebates of up to $100 for each high-volume toilet replaced with a low-flow model.…