The St. Johns River Water Management District, which includes Marion County, is reminding residents that landscape irrigation is now limited to once per week during Eastern Standard Time and announcing a modification to water shortage restrictions in portions of its service area following improved drought conditions.
Effective immediately, the district is transitioning to a Modified Phase II Severe Water Shortage Order in Alachua, Baker and Bradford counties. Recent rainfall and improving hydrologic conditions have allowed the district to lift water shortage restrictions in all other counties previously covered by the order. While conditions have improved, drought impacts and groundwater conditions in Alachua, Baker and Bradford counties continue to warrant additional conservation measures, the news release noted.
The district’s seasonal irrigation schedule remains in effect during EST, which runs from November through mid-March. During this period, landscape irrigation is limited to one day per week:
- Saturday for residential addresses ending in odd numbers or with no address
- Sunday for residential addresses ending in even numbers
- Tuesday for nonresidential properties
- Water only on your designated watering day and during the allowed hours: before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.
Under a Modified Phase II Severe Water Shortage, all water users are encouraged to voluntarily reduce water use and conserve water to the maximum extent possible. Wasteful and unnecessary water use is prohibited. The order encourages voluntary reductions across all water use sectors, including public supply, commercial, industrial, institutional, agricultural, landscape, recreation and aesthetic uses, the release stated…