We are currently planning for our first educational meeting with the county for April. We need to give the county a few dates that we would want them to come out and go over the program with us. Their preference is a weekday, early evening. Please let me know of best/worst day times for you. Erik Mikkelsen @ 813-956-2468 for more information.

The latest issue of the newsletter of the Northwest Florida Water Management District has the following stories:

• $225K USGS Grant will fund completion of Liberty and Calhoun LIDAR
• Surplus Rains Raise Lake, Groundwater and Flow Levels
• Pitt and Sylvan Springs to be Closed for Restoration and Renovation
• NWFWMD Acquires Key Escambia River Property in Santa Rosa County
• District Opens Perdido River Recreation Site

Click here to read the entire newsletter

Contact

Faith Eidse,Northwest Florida Water Management District, Faith.Eidse@nwfwmd.state.fl.us, 81 Water Management Drive, Havana, FL. 32333
phone:850-539-5999.
http://nwfwmd.state.fl.us/

Manatee County should take steps to allow Bradenton to supply reclaimed water for irrigation in a portion of the Braden River watershed, a county advisory board said Thursday.
The Manatee County Planning Commission recommended seeking state review and approval to amend the county's comprehensive plan, which now bans using treated wastewater in watersheds that protect drinking-water sources.
Bradenton wants the ban lifted so it can provide up to 4.5 million gallons of reclaimed water daily to Lakewood Ranch and other areas within the Braden River watershed. The city draws its drinking water from the Braden River, but discharges its excess reclaimed water into the Manatee River.
"We believe it is in the public interest to make this change," said Claude Tankersley, the city's public works director. "Right now, we're taking water, using it, and then basically throwing it away."
But critics, including two advisory board members, questioned whether the change...

Source: Bradenton.com. Click here to read entire story.

For years, utilities, governments and water managers trumpeted the same message when it came to water: conserve. Use less water, they said. Preserve the resource and the environment. Residents listened. Water use dropped.
The result? Our water bills are going up.
Utilities are selling less water, which means revenues are falling. When that happens, utilities say, they have to raise rates to meet fixed expenses such as debt for construction, utilities and operational costs.
"It's a difficult message--saying, 'Thank you for conserving, but now we have to charge you more,'" said Michelle Van Dyke, spokeswoman for Hillsborough Water Services, which provides water to about 500,000 people.
The region's wholesale water supplier expects to boost what it charges public utilities in the Tampa Bay area, though it's still studying how much the increase will be.
Customers of Hillsborough County's water system already saw an increase of nearly 2 percent in their...

Source: TBO.com -- click here to read entire story

In recognition of the importance of seagrass habitats to Florida’s environment and economy, Gov. Charlie Crist has proclaimed March to be Florida Seagrass Awareness Month. This is the ninth year of the statewide initiative, which Gov. Crist has called essential to preserving the state’s marine environment, economy and quality of life.

The initiative also showcases Sarasota County’s five-year-old volunteer program to survey seagrass in every bay in Sarasota to better understand local seagrass habitats.

According to Amanda Dominguez of Sarasota County’s Water Resources, nearly all of the commercially and recreationally important estuarine and marine animals depend on seagrass beds as refuge or habitat for some part of their life, making them directly responsible for bringing in millions of dollars annually from out-of-state and resident recreational and commercial fishermen.

“The information that has been generated from the county’s survey...

(Click here to read the rest of this Sarasota County news release)

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is reminding residents to check the timers on their irrigation system controllers this weekend, which is the beginning of Daylight Savings Time.

Unless your city or county already has stricter hours in effect, residents may only water before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m. Properties more than two acres in size may only water before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. Under the current Modified Phase II restrictions, lawn and landscape watering remains limited to a one-day-per-week schedule. Please check with your local government or utility for your watering day.

To read the entire SWFWMD news release, click here

Contact

Southwest Florida Water Management District

Beginning on March 14, watering is allowed within the St. Johns River Water Management District region no more than two days a week.
But that doesn't mean you have to water two days a week. By being aware of rainfall and whether your landscape truly needs water, you can help conserve our finite water resources.
All of the details on when you can and can't water are on the District's Web site. There are also some exceptions to the watering restrictions.
Watering hours have been limited (never between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.) in the District's region since 1991, and watering has been limited to no more than two days a week during daylight saving time and no more than one day a week during Eastern Standard Time in the District's region since March 2009.

Click here for details on watering restrictions in the SJRWMD

Contact

  ,St. Johns River Water Management District
http://floridaswater.com/

The Hillsborough River Watershed Alliance (HWRA) and the Florida Center for Community Design and Research at USF (FCCDR-USF) have worked together to update the existing HRWA website. We invite you to take a look at the improved pages and added photo-slideshows, calendar and newsletter archive..

The upgrade included the complete redesign of the HRWA Frog Listening Network site. It has an expanded photo gallery, enhanced sound, the capability for volunteers to upload monitoring data, maps showing collected data, and a calendar of upcoming events. The new features will be a boon to FLN volunteers, who track the occurrence of frog species in the Hillsborough River watershed as a way of monitoring the ecosystem's health.

Link to Hillsborough River Watershed Alliance website

Tampa Water Department customers can learn about ways to save money and the environment at a free 'Go Green At Home [On A Budget]' customer clinic on March 20. The customer clinic will include presentations and workshops on water efficiency sponsored by the Tampa Water Department. The program is designed specifically for single-family residential customers and is open to current City of Tampa Water Department customers only.

The clinic will be held at the Copeland Community Center from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 20. Hands-on workshop topics include home water audits, micro-irrigation retrofit, irrigation system maintenance, and composting. Pre-registration is required, as seating is limited.

Partners for the March clinic are the Mayor's Beautification Program, the Hillsborough County Extension Service Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Program, and the Pinellas Association of Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Contractors.

For more information and online registration, click here

Contact

Elias  Franco, Distribution Division Manager Tampa Water Department, Elias.Franco@TampaGov.net
phone:(813) 259-1641.

A new Web page lets Tampa Water Department customers share water efficiency success stories. Customers can submit information on the 'How Are You Saving Water?' page about actions they have taken at their homes or businesses to reduce water use. Submissions may be selected to appear online.

The page adds a personal dimension to the growing 'tool box' of resources at www.TampaGov.net/SaveWater to help customers use water efficiently. By highlighting success stories, the Water Department is hoping to show customers what has been done and what can be done.

Tampa residents and customers can be notified of restrictions changes, upcoming workshops, conservation events and other information by subscribing to the Tampa Water Department's Customer Newsletter, The Pipeline, at www.TampaGov.net/Water or the Water Department Real Simple Syndication (RSS) feed available at www.TampaGov.net/appl_rss_feeds/ ...

Source: Tampa Water Dept. News Release. Click here for more...

Contact

Elias  Franco, , Distribution Division Manager Tampa Water Department, Elias.Franco@TampaGov.net
phone:(813) 259-1641.