Conservation Critical to Protect Regional Water Resources
Conditions Expected to Improve With Arrival of Wet Season At a joint briefing with the South Florida Water Management District on May 3, the National Weather Service released its forecast for the upcoming 2012 wet season. The forecast calls for:
A probable early and wetter start to the wet season
Precipitation outlook for near- to above-normal precipitation into June, with near-normal precipitation for the remainder of the season
Slightly above-normal temperatures
While above-average rainfall in April helped ease dry conditions in some areas of South Florida, it will take time once the wet season begins to recharge regional surface and groundwater sources. The region experienced a rainfall deficit of 5.5 inches from the beginning of November through the end of April.
Water Shortage Warning in Effect South Florida remains under a water shortage warning to encourage vigilance and voluntary water conservation during the remainder of the dry season.
Residents and businesses should follow the agency's Year-Round Landscape Irrigation Rule, which limits landscape irrigation to two days a week, with a three-day-a-week provision for some counties. Utilizing the rule's flexibility, some city and county governments have adopted alternative landscape irrigation ordinances based on local water demands or system limitations.
For many areas, watering schedules remain the same under year-round conservation measures as they were under water shortage restrictions that expired in November 2011.
NOTE: Customers of the West Palm Beach and Lake Worth utilities remain under local orders limiting landscape irrigation to one day a week.
Effective November 18, 2011: The water shortage orders were rescinded and golf courses are no longer required to submit weekly pumpage data. Golf courses are required to comply with their existing water use permit conditions and conserve water where possible.
Resolving a SFWMD Water Restriction Violation Note: This option is only available to violators of the landscape irrigation restriction (i.e., NOT golf courses, agricultural, nurseries, diversion and impoundments or utilities).
If you received a SFWMD Notice of Violation or Consent Agreement (NOV/CA), you can take steps to reduce the assessed penalty:
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