The St. Johns River Water Management District’s governing board on Tuesday declared a water shortage for parts of the region overseen by the District, including in Marion County.
There, in Marion, the Southwest Florida Water Management District had already declared a more serious water shortage is in effect for The Villages and Dunnellon. The move from St. Johns Tuesday places all of Marion County under declared water shortages.
In Central Florida, the initial declaration covering The Villages in Marion County also applies to all of Polk and Sumter Counties, plus parts of Lake. That declaration, identified as a Modified Phase II “Severe” Water Shortage, is in place from Feb. 8 through July 1, 2026. During that timeframe, residents living in the affected areas must water their lawns no more than once per week…