Irrigation Cost Too Much
 

Why does it cost so much to Irrigate your yard? One would think it would be cheaper in TV because a lot of reclaimed water is used. Is somebody making a big profit off us retirees?

It is priced to discourage use. Water is a major issue throughout Florida.

It depends how much you are used to. Our water bills are LOWER than those near Cincinnati.

Or so they say.

really, we're paying for water twice - when it's potable and again when it's reclaimed for outdoor use only. My understanding is that not everyone in TV is twice billed for water usage, but that the potable water rate is higher, but I won't swear to anything I hear or read anymore...

And yet they don't allow a good fake turf. Think about how much money you would save in water, weeds, feed, and mow:sad:

Arificial turf.
 

Here is an unfortunate area where not everyone agrees on what is pretty, tasteful, and nice. Thus the deed restrictions. In our two old neighborhoods the same restrictions were in place about artificial turf.

The plus side of grass is the plus side for any plant material. It does it's small job cleaning the air.

I am not a "greenie" per se, but I think it is a good idea to water the lawn with water saved in retention ponds. They are in fact our big community "rain barrels".

This is just my opinion, and maybe not a popular one, and I wouldn't waste my time and breath defending it because it just that important overall. The cost of electricity and water and taxes are hugely different over this vast country. We have the "old muddy" (the Ohio River) near Cincinnati, but in our suburb our water cost more than it did in Phoenix, which is a desert area.

We had such high water costs that I was always suspicious about it because the county seat in our area just kept getting bigger and prettier municipal buildings and big old statues out in front of them that cost a fortune.

(You can see I am a fiscal conservative...which means I am thrifty, frugal and just plain tight)

I also have to say that the cost here for cutting grass and trimming bushes and edging for a month is what it cost back home for ONE grass cutting. (we had a much bigger lawn there...to be fair)

Paying for water twice? I'll presume you're referring to the delivery systems needed and not the water itself. The one of the only circumstances that I've ever personally heard of where the taker of water was attempting to be billed for the water itself is when tankers from South America would travel to the Hudson River, fill their tanks and return the water to South America. The State of New York would try to get them to compensate New York for those resources. I know there are others, like when one municipality buys a water supply from another or even with transfers between states, but I don't know about here in TV.

As far as I know of in TV, the water authorities have expenses for the infrastructure needed to get water from the source to the user, and that would include for both potable and reclaimed systems. It would therefor stand to reason that to accomplish the delivery of safe and adequate supplies of water in two separate systems, that we would be billed for both of these systems based on usage and not just for one of them! Anyway, that's why it may seem like we're paying twice!

The water that those of us south of 466 use for irrigation is not the same water that was recycled after its potable form. Our reclaimed water comes only from the storm drains (i.e., it's rain water). The waste water that is recycled from our sanitation system is used exclusively on the golf courses.

Storm drains and golf courses all drain to the same retention areas.....the water hazards.

I didn't think reclaim water can be used for residential only golf courses. Ok they get the free water for thr golf course.

Maybe not to the point but why does Florida have water issues when we sit on one of the largest aquifer in the world? Just Curious.

Floridan Aquifer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

maybe groups of owners can drill a well, zero cost of water?

Let us know how that works out, jimbo....... :D

Bill :)

The St. John's river watershed authority, or the Southwest Florida Water Management District have jurisdiction over ALL ground water in TV. They will not let you drill a well into their aquifers.

Some of us knew that but Jimbo is from far, far, away.

It was an innovative thought, Jimbo!:coolsmiley:

that was said in jest, but it would if allowed cost more than years of water.:1rotfl:

Gracie, maybe not that far away, coming soon........

Phase 3 Water Restrictions Notice.
 

We live close to Rt 466A and received our VCDD Utilities Bill today with the following important message:

SWFWMD has implemented Phase 3 Water Restrictions. Landscape watering is limited to once per week. Phase 3 restrictions also require use of SWFWMD approved level 3 Environmental Protection Rate Surcharge. A 10% water rate surcharge will be implemented on water bills for periods beginning March 10, 2012 or thereafter. See Village Community Development Districts
website for details.

Irrigation days are scheduled according to house number, i.e., if your house # ends in 0 - 1 your watering days are Monday, etc.
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Not sure if this 10 % surcharge will be tacked on permanently or if this is just a temporary charge due to the water ban(restriction). Does anyone know?

Russ: spot on and if I may add an individual in the know told a group of us that there is more fesh water in florida then all the great lakes combined. the issue with water isn't availablity, its political, in that county commissioners , developers, etc want control for obvious reasons. Why else would florida allow nestle to draw milions of gallons daily free of charge? People living in Central Forida are taking a beating when it comes to water costs ( we have a three tier rate) and Homeownowners Insurance.

There does seem to be "a rat in the wood pile" when it comes to the cost of water in Florida. When something "smells" its usually political and I think you hit the nail on the head. For example: In TV you have two Districts---St. John's and Southwest pulling water out of the very same Aquifer with different watering rules. You live in Sumter County and you water once a week----in Lake County twice a week. Makes no sense. :loco:

has anyone tried to switch the recycled water which is used for irrigation with potable water? any 'official' opposition from vcdd?

When they read the two meters and irrigation is zero, get ready for grief.

Why would you want to pay the sewage treatment fee for watering your lawn ??

dhwein, You may also want to take into consideration that your sewer charge is based on your potable water use. Meaning the more potable water use, the higher your sewer charge.

In my previous home in Wesley Chapel, FL, an hour south of The Villages, we paid a flat fee of $7.00 per month for irrigation water. I lived in a very nice CDD master planned neighborhood, not out in the sticks. We also had St. Augustine grass. We couldn't wait to get rid of it with such issues as chinch bugs, etc. Hubby was happy to have zoysia grass. Now that we have zoysia, we would go back to St. Augustine any day. Zoysia seems to need a lot of water to be green.
To make everyone feel a little better about that $7.00 per month ... our electricity cost is half of what we used to pay and our car insurance is 60% less than what we used to pay as well. All in all, I'll pay for the water and not complain.

North of 466, we have a single water meter. South of 466, you have two seperate meters. So, you are being billed at two different rates. Here's a chart that shows what average usuage should be depending on type of home.
Just out of curiosity, can anyone tell me,what is the rate for the two types of water ?
http://www.thevillageswaterwisdom.co...owMuch1109.pdf

It makes NO sense
 

:agree:

I never could figure this one out.

Funny, my neighbor told me that he used to turn his irrigation off in the winter because the grass was dormant. Then someone told him that it needs water even when it dormant so he only waters once a week in the winter.
I asked him why he waters in the summer and he looked at me like I was crazy. I shut my irrigation off this summer. It rains almost every day so why am I adding water to that twice a week? My lawn looks great. If we have an extended drought period I'll turn it back on but it makes to sense to me to water lawns down here during the summer months.
I will turn it back on once a week in the winter and see what happens. If it starts to brownout, I'll try twice a week.