Phase III drought restrictions tighten across Northeast Florida
Northeast Florida has moved into Phase III drought conditions, tightening irrigation and other non-essential water uses. Officials cited below-average rainfall, dropping groundwater levels and a rainfall deficit of more than 25 inches year over year.
Water restrictions are tightening across Northeast Florida as parts of the region move into Phase III drought conditions. The St. Johns River Water Management District says the shift is being driven by a long stretch of below-average rainfall and dropping groundwater levels.
As in Phase II, outdoor watering continues to be allowed only one day a week for residential, commercial and institutional properties, including managed landscapes and athletic fields. But under Phase III, restrictions on irrigation for new plantings, including sod, have also been tightened.
Additional Phase III measures include:
- Commercial, industrial and institutional users must suspend certain non-essential water uses.
- Irrigation for golf course fairways is limited to one day per week.
- Aesthetic water use is prohibited, and additional restrictions apply to activities such as street and pressure washing.
- Landscape irrigation is prohibited between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
The National Weather Service in Jacksonville released a Public Information Statement last Wednesday, highlighting rainfall totals from Sunday, May 10, at 7 a.m. through 7 a.m. on May 13. While every little drop helps, the region is still in an exceptional to extreme drought with over 25 inches year over year of rainfall deficit.
Officials say it is those environmental factors — lack of rainfall and dropping groundwater levels — that triggered the move to Phase III, not a sudden spike in water use. They say overall water use in North Florida has remained relatively flat over the past decade, even as the population has grown, because of conservation measures already in place.
Officials are urging residents to take these conservation restrictions seriously as dry conditions continue, saying cutting back on irrigation is one of the quickest ways to reduce demand. The district says residential irrigation is the largest water use, and an average irrigation cycle uses a thousand gallons of water.