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A project funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Town of Dundee will bring reclaimed water to approximately 1,821 residential customers and several commercial customers within Dundee.The Dundee Reclaimed Water Use System Project includes the construction of 18,800 linear feet of reclaimed water transmission main line, a high service pump station and two 2.25 million gallon storage tanks.This project will provide approximately 370,000 gallons of… Read more

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… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us is encouraging residents who irrigate their lawns to "watch the weather, wait to water" during the summer months of June, July, August and September.According to research by the University of Florida, an average of three-quarters of an inch of water every three to five days is enough to replenish grass during the summer. West-central Florida receives… Read more

A completed road project in Auburndale will help reduce flooding and improve water quality thanks to a partnership between the District and the city. Auburndale city leaders recently dedicated the PK Avenue project, which made improvements to the roadway that reduced residential flooding and helped improve water quality. The project was co-operatively funded by the District, the Auburndale Community Redevelopment Agency, and the City of Auburndale. This $4.5… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is partnering with the City of Tampa again in 2005 to offer residents a financial incentive to save water by replacing high-volume toilets with low-flow models.The Tampa Plumbing Retrofit and Education Project is a cooperatively funded effort between the City of Tampa and the District’s Northwest Hillsborough Basin Board. The District and the City of Tampa have co-funded this project, known as the Toilet Rebate Program,… Read more

The District’s Governing Board voted unanimously in October to tighten water restrictions in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties. The Governing Board was responding to a request by Tampa Bay Water, the region’s wholesale water supplier, because its water supplies have not returned to pre-drought conditions. “The Tampa Bay area is the most impacted region in the District,” said David Moore, District executive director. “The water shortage order in the Tampa… Read more

Virginia Frissell, a science resource teacher at Twin Lakes Elementary School in Tampa was named The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Water Steward of the Year.Frissell was chosen for her “Water Everywhere — Put It First — Make It Last” project. Her project was chosen from seven finalists. Twin Lakes Elementary is in the District’s Hillsborough River Basin.Frissell was honored at the Governing Board’s October meeting.… Read more

Janey Baldwin, secretary of the Withlacoochee River Basin Board, left, talks with Jay Yingling, District senior economist, at the Regional Water Supply Plan public workshop for the Northern Planning Region. In an effort to plan for future water supplies and demands in our area, the District is updating the 2006 Regional Water Supply Plan (RWSP). This document was first published in 2001, in accordance with Florida Statute 373.0361, and is… Read more

h2. Learn About Polk County's Natural Resources at Circle B Bar ReservePolk county residents and families are invited to attend the 2011 Water, Wings & Wild Things Nature Fest at "Circle B Bar Reserve(Circle B Bar Reserve)":/recreation/areas/circlebbarreserve.html. The free, annual event takes place Saturday, Oct. 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.The nature festival lets families learn about local natural resources and nature-based recreational opportunities. Presentations,… Read more

Students at All Saints Academy in Polk County got to experience the water cycle first-hand on a recent rainy-day field trip to Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland. The rain didn’t prevent the fourth- and fifth-grade students from enjoying their field trip. And instead, they used the opportunity to set up their rain gauges. The field trip is funded by the District.  Students also hiked through the property stopping to test water quality and use dip nets to examine… Read more

World Water Monitoring Day is Sept. 18 and highlights the importance of monitoring water quality and protecting our water resources. The District’s Water Quality Monitoring Program (WQMP) collects data from waterbodies around the District so the information can be used to determine whether our water is suitable for drinking, recreational activities and wildlife.When monitoring water quality, staff evaluate factors like changes in water temperature, dissolved oxygen… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has revised and extended the water shortage emergency order for the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority to protect the drinking water supply for more than 250,000 residents.The executive order signed Thursday will allow the Authority to continue withdrawals from the Peace River at an increased rate as a means of meeting current water demand and storing additional water in its reservoir and two aquifer storage… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has revised the water shortage emergency order for the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority to meet the drinking water supply for more than 250,000 residents.This modification allows the Authority to withdraw up to 120 million gallons per day (mgd) from the Peace River for up to 120 days. This increase in the maximum daily intake from 90 to 120 mgd will allow the Authority to take advantage of the high flows… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has revised and extended the water shortage emergency order for the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority to protect the drinking water supply for more than 250,000 residents. The order is now scheduled to expire on October 26, 2008 unless it is rescinded or extended by District’s Governing Board or executive director. The order was slated to expire June 25, 2008.The executive order signed Wednesday will… Read more

For the past 60 years, the District has worked to protect water resources and ensure the public’s water needs are met. But as Florida’s population continues to grow, it will take careful planning and innovative new ideas to ensure the state’s water supply. An estimated 1,000 people move to Florida each day, and Florida will need an additional one billion gallons per day by 2040. The water supply is not endless, so legislators passed the Clean Waterways Act in 2020, which… Read more

The District continues to monitor lake and river levels and manage its water control structures around the clock during this historic flooding event caused by Hurricane Milton.Lake and River Level Update

• Lake water levels in most areas are starting to decline and most structures are discharging at maximum capacity. 
• Upper portions of the Hillsborough River have crested and are beginning to decline while the lower portions are…

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The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) Governing Board voted today to extend one-day-per-week watering restrictions again for Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties until Dec. 31 due to ongoing efforts to refill the regional reservoir.Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Manatee, Polk, Sarasota and Sumter counties; portions of Charlotte, Highlands and Lake counties; the City of Dunnellon and The Villages in Marion County; and the portion of Gasparilla… Read more

Tampa Bay Regional Reclaimed Water and Downstream Augmentation Project The Tampa Bay area already leads the nation in the reuse of reclaimed water. An innovative new project will make a good system even better, making use of both dry-season and wet-season supplies. The Tampa Bay Regional Reclaimed Water and Downstream Augmentation Project is an ambitious reclaimed water project that will save millions of gallons of potable water per day, make additional water… Read more

Where do you think most of the water pollutants in our region come from? Did you know that about half of them come from septic tanks? That’s according to Dr. Mary Lusk, faculty in the Soil and Water Science Department at the University of Florida-Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. She spoke at this year’s “Florida Water: Decade for Decisions” seminar and said conventional septic tanks do not remove much nitrogen (about 30 percent) and are greatly contributing to… Read more

April… a month known for April Fool’s Day, tax day, Earth Day and, in Florida, water conservation. The state Legislature designated April as water conservation month. This year the District will celebrate water conservation month by participating in a variety of festivals and educational events. District staff will speak at two series of educational workshops aimed at helping elected community, county and municipal officials and decision-makers learn more about the… Read more