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Water supply refers to the source and process of providing water to different users. The “source” refers to where the water comes from. Sources of natural fresh water may include groundwater or surface waters, such as lakes, rivers, ponds or streams. According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, surface water was the largest source of fresh water in Florida until 1980. After 1980, groundwater became… Read more

In the Bathroom:

• Flush less — remember the toilet is not an ashtray or wastebasket.
• While brushing teeth, shaving, etc., turn off the water.
• When cold water will do, avoid using hot water.
• Take shorter showers — 5 minutes or less.
• In the shower, wet yourself down, turn the water off, lather up, then turn the water on to rinse off soap.
• Use less water for bathing — close the drain first and fill tub only one…

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Welcome to the H₂O Zone! To begin your exploration of all things water, click on a topic using the tabs at the top of the page or the links below. Pay special attention to the words in bold on each page for vocabulary. Not sure what something means? Check the word glossary. Water Basics

• Water Cycle
• …

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Word Glossary Alternative Water Supply (AWS) Includes the use of a nontraditional source of water to help meet different freshwater needs of a community. Examples include reusing wastewater or treating seawater through a desalination plant. Aquifer An aquifer is an area underground that holds water in the gaps between rock, sand or gravel, sort of like an underground lake or stream. Compost… Read more

The Surface Water Improvement and Management, or SWIM, program evaluates priority water bodies, identifies challenges and implements projects to improve water quality and natural systems. The District is currently updating the SWIM plan for Lake Tarpon and the draft plan is available on the Lake Tarpon webpage. At the public workshop, District staff will present an overview… Read more

We All Live in a Watershed Land is very important to the water cycle and shares a strong connection to our water resources. Did you know that everything we do on land can affect the health of our water? That is because we all live in a watershed! A watershed is any area of land that water flows across or through. Where is the water going? Downhill of course. Water in a watershed trickles and flows toward a common body of… Read more

In recent years the number of people living in the Alafia River watershed has increased dramatically. An increase in population causes a greater demand on water resources and a reduction in the amount of wildlife habitat. Efforts have been made to meet the increased demands for water and to restore and protect natural ecosystems within the watershed. Reservoir The C.W. “Bill” Young Regional Reservoir is located in the Alafia River watershed. It can store 15 billion… Read more

Water CHAMP is our Water Conservation Hotel and Motel Program Join our free program to help save water for our future in ways that save money. Hotels and motels use an average of 21,537 gallons per day of water. This checklist below will help facility managers evaluate the appropriateness of water-saving adjustments for improving the… Read more

Land is very important to the water cycle. A WATERSHED is any area of land that water flows across or through. Where is the water going? Downhill of course. Water in a watershed trickles and flows toward a common body of water, such as a stream, river, lake or coast. Watersheds can be big or small, but they usually have high points (like ridges) as their upper boundaries. So watersheds capture water, store it… Read more

The word “resiliency” can be described as the ability to recover quickly from disasters and adapt to future conditions. The word also refers to building defenses against the impacts of climate change.   Coastal Florida is vulnerable to impacts from climate change, which may include temperature extremes, intensified storms, increased flooding and sea level rise. West-central Florida has already seen some of these adverse impacts, and projections show the impacts… Read more

Aquifer An aquifer is an area underground that holds water in the gaps between rock, sand or gravel, sort of like an underground lake or stream. Aquitard An aquitard is an underground layer that water can’t move through easily. An aquitard, which might be something like solid rock or fine clay, can trap water in separate aquifers or force it to move in different directions. Condensation Water changing from a gas into a liquid — this is how water vapor turns… Read more

What are MFLs?“MFLs” is short for minimum flows and minimum water levels. Minimum flows are set for rivers, streams, estuaries, and springs, while minimum water levels are established for lakes, wetlands, and aquifers. In short, an MFL sets a limit on how much water can be withdrawn from a water resource to prevent significant harm occurring to the water resources or the ecology of the area.Why does the Southwest Florida Water Management District set MFLs?Florida law (… Read more

Hospitals use an average of 139,214 gallons per day of water. This checklist will help facility managers evaluate the appropriateness of water-saving adjustments for improving the efficiency of your health care facility. Remember, water savings often bring energy savings, too. This information is based on the results of water use evaluations of 26 industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) facilities throughout the Tampa Bay area. The checklist has been adapted… Read more

Office buildings use an average of 14,695 gallons per day of water. This checklist will help facility managers evaluate the appropriateness of water-saving adjustments for improving the efficiency of your building. Remember, water savings often bring energy savings, too. This information is based on the results of water use evaluations of 26 industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) facilities throughout the Tampa Bay area. The checklist has been adapted from a… Read more

Manufacturers use an average of 144,542 gallons per day of water. This checklist will help facility managers evaluate the appropriateness of water-saving adjustments for improving the efficiency of your plant. Remember, water savings often bring energy savings, too. This information is based on the results of water use evaluations of 26 industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) facilities throughout the Tampa Bay area. The checklist has been adapted from a… Read more

Schools use an average of 22,284 gallons per day of water. This checklist will help facility managers evaluate the appropriateness of water-saving adjustments for improving the efficiency of your school or college. Remember, water savings often bring energy savings, too. This information is based on the results of water use evaluations of 26 industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) facilities throughout the Tampa Bay area. The checklist has been adapted from a… Read more

What springs are located within our District? There are more than 200 springs within the District. There are five first-magnitude spring groups in the District. First-magnitude springs, which are the largest springs by volume of water discharged, release 64.6 million gallons per day or more. The five springs are: Rainbow River, Crystal River/Kings Bay, Homosassa River, Chassahowitzka River and Weeki Wachee River. Together, they discharge more than one… Read more

The majority of the freshwater supply in west-central Florida comes from groundwater, most commonly the Floridan aquifer system. The Floridan aquifer system contains the largest aquifers within the state and stretches 100,000 square miles beneath Florida and parts of Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. The Floridan aquifer system has been divided into the Upper Floridan aquifer and Lower Floridan aquifers. Between the aquifers are… Read more

The Splash! school grant program provides up to $3,000 per teacher to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources issues. Public and charter school teachers of grades K through 12 are eligible to apply.COMPLETING YOUR APPLICATIONBefore completing a grant application, be prepared with the following:Grant Topic: Review the grant topics and associated details below. Select one or more grant topics and plan your associated key concepts,… Read more