Additional information
Minutes:
- SWFWMD/WRWSA Workshop, March 24, 2008 (coming soon)
Presentations:
Draft Proposed Per Capita Requirements, July 5, 2007; 784KB - Expansion of SWUCA Public Supply Per Capita Requirements, April 10, 2007; 936KB
- Marion and Sumter Counties Stakeholders Workshop, March 30, 2007; 17MB
Public meetings:
- None scheduled at this time
Water Conservation and Water Supply Planning
in North-Central Florida
What are the issues?
The northern counties of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) have historically been rural, slow-growing, and presumed to have adequate groundwater supplies for as long as needed. However, since the early 1990s, Lake, Marion, Citrus, Sumter and Hernando counties have experienced significant population growth. Residential development has typically been accompanied by landscapes that incorporate large areas of turf and in-ground irrigation systems, and associated deed restrictions have often been in conflict with water-efficient best management practices. Historic land platting also has created tens of thousands of vested lots where residences can be built without further constraints and will most likely require significant supplemental irrigation in the future. Groundwater withdrawals currently occurring throughout the central Florida region may also increase the potential for cumulative environmental impacts in these northern counties. All of these issues have created concern over the long-term availability of traditional groundwater supplies to meet new demands for water. The region’s unique geology provides a connection between groundwater, surface water, and surface activities, which makes it necessary to develop and adopt management strategies that prevent the occurrence of adverse impacts to the water resources.
Proposed strategies
The following strategies are underway to address the issues of water demand and water supply in the northern counties:
Expanded per capita requirements
The Governing Board of the SWFWMD has authorized rulemaking to expand public supply permittee per capita water use requirements to those areas of the SWFWMD not already subject to them as part of a water use caution area. The requirements include:
- Required calculation of per capita water use according to adopted Southern Water Use Caution Area rules, including service area population estimation methodology.
- Required submission of an annual per capita water use report and associated data via the annual public supply survey.
- Refined service area delineation requirements and reporting, which are necessary for enhanced use of GIS technology and accurate population estimation and projections.
- Utilities’ per capita compliance of 150 gallons per person per day phased in over time.
- Calculation of reclaimed and stormwater credits.
Enhanced conservation
The SWFWMD’s Governing Board has authorized rulemaking to expand enhanced water conservation in the northern counties. These standards may include water-conserving rate structures, water audits, the adoption and enforcement of landscape ordinances, and the setting of specific percentages for components of unaccounted water loss. At a minimum, there will be the same standards of efficiency for all public supply permittees throughout the SWFWMD, regardless of the availability or lack of traditional water supplies. In addition to regulatory standards, SWFWMD programs such as cooperative funding and mini-grants exist to entice water suppliers and others to develop effective comprehensive programs that achieve water conservation through financial incentives and/or education.
Enhanced outreach
A public outreach program has included workshops and discussions with stakeholders, decision-makers, residents, and the regulated communities to achieve an understanding of the resource issues and concerns in the area and to provide assistance in the implementation of management strategies. Enhanced outreach efforts include a conservation summit for local governments and utilities, individual meetings with local government staff, joint meetings with the Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority (WRWSA) and other agencies, editorial board meetings with media organizations, and the development of appropriate comments to provide during the review of comprehensive plan amendments, developments of regional impacts (DRIs) and other land use changes in the northern counties.
North-Central Florida Coordination Area
The Governing Boards of the SWFWMD and the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) have directed staff to focus on conservation, water reuse and alternative water supplies for an area identified as the North-Central Florida Coordination Area (NCFCA). The NCFCA includes parts of Lake County, Sumter County and Marion County. A draft action plan is being developed by the water management districts to ensure there is a coordinated and consistent approach to water resources in the NCFCA. Included in the plan are the following areas for coordination between the districts:
- Water supply planning
- Resource assessment
- Minimum flows and levels
- Conservation
- Regulatory
- Outreach and communications
Growth management
Concurrent with the statutory authority of SWFWMD, the following entities have a significant role in the development of land and water planning in the northern counties:
Withlacoochee Regional Planning Council
The Withlacoochee Regional Planning Council (WRPC) coordinates the review of DRI projects for the northern counties in the SWFWMD. A DRI is defined by state statutes as “any development which, because of its character, magnitude, or location, would have a substantial effect upon the health, safety, or welfare of citizens from more than one county.” Included in the DRI coordination, the SWFWMD will review water use, conservation, reuse, the management of storm water and surface water, wetland protection, vegetation and wildlife habitat protection, and flood plain impacts.
Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority
The WRWSA has adopted its Master Regional Water Supply Planning & Implementation Program for the northern counties in the SWFWMD. Funded in part by the SWFWMD, this plan was initiated as a comprehensive, multi-year planning, design and construction program to help ensure that the region is engaged in a long-term water supply development process that meets growing demands, protects water resource and environmental attributes, and is completed in a cost-effective and timely manner.
