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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…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has released as much water out of Lake Tarpon as possible, however storm surge from Hurricane Debby is overtopping the structure and water cannot be released until the storm surge recedes.The Lake Tarpon Outfall Canal is one of 84 water-control structures throughout the District’s 16-county area. The three-mile canal extends from the south end of Lake Tarpon and empties into Old Tampa Bay. The structure is designed…

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…

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…

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…

Anthony Andrade, senior water conservation analyst, is the national WateReuse Person of the Year. This is Anthony Andrade’s year. The District project manager and senior water conservation analyst has been named national “WateReuse Person of the Year” for 2006. The award was presented in September at the 2006 WateReuse Symposium, which was held jointly by the WateReuse Association, American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation. Each…

Year-Round Water Conservation Measures in Effect Districtwide The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board is allowing once-per-week watering and other stringent water restrictions in the District's northern region to expire on Oct. 1, 2017. This region includes Citrus, Hernando, Sumter and portions of Lake, Levy and Marion counties. All 16-counties throughout the District's boundaries are now on year-round water…

Year-Round Water Conservation Measures Return Elsewhere Due to lingering drought effects and water resources not recovering as quickly as other areas, the Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board voted today to maintain once-per-week lawn watering and other restrictions in the District's northern region, which includes Citrus, Hernando, Levy and portions of Lake, Marion and Sumter counties. This order in Marion County would be limited to…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted today to modify its existing Phase I water shortage, expanding it to cover the District’s entire 16-county area beginning May 8.  Under Phase I, water utilities and their local governments are expected to review and revise water restriction enforcement procedures, begin monthly enforcement reporting and…

Due to lingering drought effects and water resources not recovering as quickly as other areas, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted today to maintain once-per-week lawn watering and other restrictions in the District’s northern region, which includes Citrus, Hernando, Levy and portions of Lake, Marion and Sumter counties. This order in Marion County would be limited to the city of Dunnellon and the area encompassed by The Villages because…

Housekeeper proudly displays Water C.H.A.M.P. materials at the Holiday Inn Express. The District’s award-winning Water Conservation Hotel And Motel Program (Water C.H.A.M.P.) reached a major milestone in July when the Holiday Inn Express Hotel &Suites on North Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa signed up as its 300th hotel. Water C.H.A.M.P. is the District’s linens and towels reuse program, which began in September 2002 as a pilot project in the Pinellas- Anclote…