The Southwest Florida Water Management District has declared a Modified Phase I Water Shortage due to ongoing dry conditions throughout the region and increasing water supply concerns.
The restrictions apply to Citrus County, and neighboring Hernando County. It extends to a number of other counties, as well.
The district received lower-than-normal rainfall during its summer rainy season and currently has a 9.2-inch districtwide rainfall deficit compared to the average 12-month total. In addition, water levels in the district’s water resources, such as aquifers, rivers and lakes, are beginning to decline.
Get more from the Citrus County Chronicle
The Modified Phase I Water Shortage Order does not change allowable watering schedules for most counties. However, it does prohibit “wasteful and unnecessary” water use, and twice-per-week lawn watering schedules remain in effect except where stricter measures have been imposed by local governments. Citrus County has local ordinances that remain on one-day-per-week schedules.
According to the Citrus County Water Department, those restrictions, first adopted in 2020 as Ordinance 2020-A17, allow watering from Monday through Friday only, either before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. The day in which a property can be watered depends upon the last number of a street address and are:
Low-volume watering of plants and shrubs (micro-irrigation, soaker hoses, hand watering) is allowed any day and any time.
Citrus County Utilities offer its customers a free one-time irrigation checkup to improve irrigation efficiency. Call 352-527-7669 to schedule an appointment.
Water restrictions are enforced for all sources of water on or beneath the surface of the ground, including water withdrawn from wells. Restrictions apply to use of in-ground irrigation systems, hose-end sprinklers, hand watering, or any other means of applying water to grass.
Residents are asked to check their irrigation systems to ensure they are working properly. This means testing and repairing broken pipes and leaks, and fixing damaged or tilted sprinkler heads. Residents should also check their irrigation timer to ensure the settings are correct and the rain sensor is working properly.
The order also requires local utilities to review and implement procedures for enforcing year-round water conservation measures and water shortage restrictions, including reporting enforcement activity to the District.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur.
