New watering hours
 

In the paper, it stated that starting June 5-Aug 1--watering of lawns in Sumter, Marion & Fruitland Park will be restricted to 1 day a week between 6pm -8pm

How many minutes will we be allowed to water on the allocated day & what day will we be allowed to water

That didn't sound right, as far as allowable times, so, I went to wattermatters.org and it said after 6pm and before 8am.

Year-round water conservation measures limit lawn watering to twice per week.

Modified Phase III Water Shortage Restrictions

Always refer to your city or county regulations first.

Effective Date and Areas
The District’s Modified Phase III water shortage restrictions are in effect June 5, 2017 through August 1, 2017, except where stricter measures have been imposed by local governments.
These measures currently apply to all of Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Sarasota counties; the portions of Charlotte, Highlands, Lake, Levy, Marion, Polk, and Sumter, within the District’s jurisdiction; and Gasparilla Island (including the portion in Lee County) except as noted below.
Some local governments, such as St. Petersburg, have local ordinances with special watering times.
Some local governments, such as Sarasota County and Dunedin, have local ordinances with special one-day-per-week schedules.
Ocala and most of unincorporated Marion County follows the St. Johns River Water Management District’s water restrictions; however, the City of Dunnellon and The Villages remain under the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s water restrictions.
Unincorporated Levy County follows the Suwannee River Water Management District.
These restrictions apply to the use of wells and surface sources such as ponds, rivers and canals, in addition to utility-supplied water.
Lawn Watering Schedule and Times
Lawn watering is limited to a once-per-week schedule. Follow this schedule unless your city or county has a different once-per-week schedule or more stringent restrictions.

Addresses with “house numbers” …May only irrigate on …
Ending in 0 or 1 Monday
Ending in 2 or 3 Tuesday
Ending in 4 or 5 Wednesday
Ending in 6 or 7 Thursday
Ending in 8 or 9 Friday
No address (community common areas, etc.) Friday
Unless your city or county already has stricter hours in effect, the allowable watering hours are before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m., regardless of property size.
Landscape Watering Schedule and Times
Handwatering and micro-irrigation of plants (other than lawns) can be done on any day at any time, if needed.
New Lawns & Plants
New lawns and plants have a 60-day establishment period. On days 1-30, they may be watered any day of the week.
During days 31-60, they may be watered approximately every other day. Even-numbered addresses may water on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Odd-numbered addresses may be watered on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. See also “Deed Restrictions” below.
Reclaimed Water
Reclaimed water remains subject to voluntary watering hours, unless blended with another water source or restricted by the local government or utility.
Car Washing
Car washing is limited to once-per-week on the designated watering day for the location.
Commercial car washes, including mobile detailing businesses, may still operate on any day.
Emergency and other first responder vehicles may still be washed on any day as needed.
Fundraising events are prohibited unless they were scheduled prior to enactment of this order.
Pressure Washing
Pressure washing is allowed once a year and for necessary purposes, such as prior to painting or sealing, in order to maintain a paint or material warranty, to address a health or safety hazard and to comply with health laws. See also “Deed Restrictions” below.
Fountains
Fountains and other aesthetic water features may only operate eight hours per day. The regular hours of operation can be selected by the owner, but must be posted (see fact sheet for list of exemptions, such as water features that also provide aerification to koi ponds).
Other Water Uses
Sprinkler-like devices used on a lawn for recreational purposes shall be limited to the lawn and landscape restrictions.
The lawn and landscape of agricultural operations, commercial establishments, golf courses, athletic fields, and industrial facilities are subject to the lawn and landscape restrictions listed in the Water Shortage Order.
Additional restrictions apply to water uses specific to agricultural operations, commercial establishments, golf courses, athletic fields, and industrial facilities.
Deed Restrictions & Community Standards Enforcement
Homeowners associations and other entities must suspend any requirement to replace lawns, pressure wash, or engage in other activity which increases water use during this water shortage declaration.
Water Utilities and Other Essential Services
Water use necessary for fire suppression, maintaining safe drinking water quality, and other essential services is not restricted.
Water utilities, in conjunction with local government agencies, must enforce restrictions and provide a monthly enforcement report (see new fact sheet for details).
Water utilities must continue implementing customer messaging and other water conservation efforts (see new fact sheet for details).
Report Watering Violations

Use this service to report a water use violation, or you may call us at 1-800-848-0499 (FL only) and leave a detailed message.

Go to form
Contact Us

If you have additional water restriction questions, please contact us by sending an email to Water.Restrictions@WaterMatters.org (anytime) or by calling our water restrictions hotline at 1-800-848-0499 (FL only) or 1-800-836-0797 (FL only), ext. 2298 (during business hours).

Mailing Address

Demand Management Program
SWFWMD
7601 U.S. Hwy. 301 North
Tampa, FL 33637

A petition for variance pdf from year-round water conservation measures or water shortage restrictions is available for qualified circumstances. To confirm that a variance is needed or for assistance when filling out an application form, check with our staff during normal business hours at 1-800-848-0499 (FL only) or email Water.Variances@WaterMatters.org.


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Thanks. I was also very suspicious of the 6pm-8pm restriction.

Not a word about those "free water" bottling companies!

Usually not a big deal being restricted from watering as nature takes over and it rains once a day during the summer.

I think we had less then 8" of rain summer of 2016.......long way from what we need.

Darn. I thought this was an updated listing of all The Village restaurant happy hours.

So obviously the Daily Sun didn't research this accurately (only watering from 6-8pm) and doesn't clarify which of the two days on our current schedule we'll be restricted too....looks like we'll have to wait until we get an "official" notice from the district.

Reply
 

Boy are you wrong. Our grass nearly needed to be replaced last year except we paid the penalties and salvaged it through watering often. We were quoted $6 k to replace it trying to water twice a week to be good villagers. We are in a newer area without the luxury of all those tall trees we enjoyed further north in TV.

We understand that in a drought changes need to be made but it was not a drought. Then to see water being sold when we are told to limit........

Too many make blanket statements without qualifiers.

You just got it, see post #2.

2016 6/1-9/30 we had 20" of rain.

Rainfall. Snowfall. Temperature. - A simple way to get weather history totals for your city or town.

:agree:

I can't find where there was any drought situations in 2016 until December 2016 through right now.

You can see here various areas of the State of Florida and their amount of rainfall and how that varied from average + or - and can see it by year.

Climate Summary for Florida - August 2015 - Florida Climate Center
Search - Florida Climate Center

The limits are not imposed just on THIS county or area but all over the State of Florida.

We were a bit below average for that 4 month period of time. We have been quite dry since the first week in Oct 2016. For the last 12 months, I believe we have had about 60% of normal precipitation. We are entering into the rainy season and hopefully will start to recover. My numbers are for the south side of The Villages. They may be a bit different elsewhere.

What about enforcement? Most people I know wouldn't have a clue as to how to reset their sprinkler system from two days to one, and they don't have an irrigation maintenance service.

With 57,000 homes, enforcement will be challenging. I think it is safe to say that compliance will be less than 100% ;-)

I started watering 10 minutes per day every day starting at 2:30 am. Plants just 2-3 minutes. Actually watering less per week than I was at twice per week with much better results. Some of my neighbors started doing it first and I was amazed at the results.

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On the sprinkler control panel it states my water days are Tues & Fri, but our house # ends in a zero- that means Mon--I'm going to change the day to Mon. only

One problem in The Villages is that the builder is installing a Hunter irrigation panel that uses a "solar sync" monitor that doesn't work and nobody, including the builder, knows how it is supposed to work. Last summer, my system was watering at 50 percent in July, when it should have been at 100 percent or higher. Why can't the builder select a system that makes sense and is easy to use? The system is supposed to monitor weather conditions and automatically adjust the watering schedule accordingly. The Hunter solar sync system is totally useless, but, apparently it cannot be turned off.

I had Joe Tucker check our sprinkler set up, the solar sync on my system was disconnected--its a blue wire, just remove it ,again it can be disabled

Why couldn't he make it work, instead of disabling it? I think the Hunter system is a waste of money and water, and the builder is installing hundreds of these worthless systems.

This is what we used to do at Lake Michigan, where everything is built on sand. The water drains right through into the sand and nothing is retained, so more frequent watering for shorter periods is the way to go. I plan to try this, because our lawn looks like the Sahara Desert with two days per week.

The solar system doesn't really know whats happening in your specific location--thats why its worthless & should be disconnected

I agree that it is worthless, but most people won't disconnect it. They are at the mercy of a system that will change their watering times for no logical reason. So, they have no idea how much they are watering because Big Brother is in control of their water usage.

I'm a believer now

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Are you using 10 minutes per zone regardless of how long each zone was set for at 1 or 2 days per week? This will save me water also and something I will try.

10 minutes per zone regardless what it was

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What about the snowbirds who are not here to change their settings?

Short time, frequent watering, produces a shallow root system. Not good for drought conditions.

Exactly, no official body has sent me any notice. None. It is not like they don't know where I live. The bills arrive like clockwork.

I am not being a spoiler, I am being realistic.

But if they do I have a Rachio controller, I can set the time a thousand miles away. Available from Amazon.

I suspect they will know who changed their watering habits by comparing usage so knowing who to approach will not be too difficult. The question is, when they know you haven't changed your habits and water usage stays the same what is the penalty? I know the first step is to send a letter (several neighbors received one of those) but I don't know of any penalty after that, does anyone?

I had the same problem. Blue wire disconnected, now it stays at 100%.

The water being sold is drinking water. Your irrigation water is reclaimed. No rain no water.

How is it obvious...
 

if you didn't read the article yourself? It's not as if people who post always read the whole article or even understand what they do read.

Does disconnecting the blue wire also disable the rain sensor feature?

Absolutely not. It only disables the "Seasonal Adjustment" feature, which in many cases is not accurate and can lower the amount of time you have a particular zone set for. The seasonal adjustment feature also resets each day at midnight. For example, you set it at 100% (which means if you have a zone running for 60 minutes, it actually runs 60 minutes). When the SA adjusts itself nightly, it might drop it down to 70%, or even lower. Unless you disable the SA feature (blue wire), it will adjust itself to what it thinks is the correct setting. I learned this the hard way, and almost lost a good chunk of turf.

Simple............just look at water usage.

That won't tell you how many days per week you are watering. You can increase the runtime for each zone. I am not saying that is necessarily a good idea. The water meters don't tell you when the water is being used.

Everyone knows that.

The issue is not run time, the issue is usage. They don't care if you run seven days per week, if you are running one minute per day.

Starting June 5 they are restricting watering to one day so apparently running 7 days a week will be an issue. There is really no way to restrict usage. All they can do is try to limit the number of days people water and, while that is certainly correlated with usage, it is not the usage. I am well aware of what they are trying to do.