With the time change comes new watering restrictions

Most of Central Florida to be under once-a-week watering restrictions starting Nov. 1

By, Kevin Spear
for the Orlando Sentinel
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
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The most restrictive limits ever on lawn watering will kick in soon for people who live in the St. Johns River Water Management District, which covers most of Central Florida. On Nov. 1, when daylight saving ends, residents will be allowed to water their grass only once a week until March, when daylight savings resumes and twice-a-week watering is allowed again.

District officials imposed the rule earlier this year as part of efforts to solve a growing water crisis brought on by rapid population growth dipping into a limited amount of underground aquifer water. District officials think lawns don't need as much watering during winter months.

The once-a-week rule, effective in all 18 counties of the district, allows homes with odd addresses to water on Saturday and those with even addresses to use sprinklers on Sunday.

Restrictions are much more complicated for the South Florida Water Management District, which takes in parts of south Orange County and Osceola County. The district now has in effect a drought-response rule that, to avoid confusion, requires its residents to follow the rules of the St. Johns River Water Management District. That means that on Nov. 1, residents of south Orange County and Osceola County will be allowed to water once a week.

But the drought is over and the South Florida Water Management District is about to rescind its drought rule and enact a year-round conservation rule. When that happens, probably later this year, the district residents will be allowed to water twice a week.