[Minoletti]

SITUATION
we had a lot of rain. Pond levels are higher than the pre determined engineering levels. Sprinklers are run to lower the levels. I get that.
Goft carts staying in their Lanes as well as pedestrians are getting sprayed by wind blown or mis adjusted sprinkler dirty pond water.
QUESTION
why aren't the Sprinklers scheduled to run in the later evening when there is minimal traffic?

[MrFlorida]

Maybe they want to monitor the system ?

[Bill14564]

Three guesses but no idea if any are correct:

1. Being started and stopped manually so is happening during working hours
2. Running 24 hours
3. Want to take advantage of even a little evaporation during daytime

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by Minoletti

SITUATION
we had a lot of rain. Pond levels are higher than the pre determined engineering levels. Sprinklers are run to lower the levels. I get that.
Goft carts staying in their Lanes as well as pedestrians are getting sprayed by wind blown or mis adjusted sprinkler dirty pond water.
QUESTION
why aren't the Sprinklers scheduled to run in the later evening when there is minimal traffic?

How often have you got wet?

[Stu from NYC]

They do a good job preventing flooding so think they know what they are doing.

[shut the front door]

You can get a proper answer if you go to the unnamed site and read the article titled "Official tries to dispel longstanding myth about ponds in The Villages"
If you want rumors and "longstanding myths, ask here. If you want it straight from a district official, read the article.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by shut the front door

You can get a proper answer if you go to the unnamed site and read the article titled "Official tries to dispel longstanding myth about ponds in The Villages"
If you want rumors and "longstanding myths, ask here. If you want it straight from a district official, read the article.

Except the article doesn't address the question at all.

[Sparky99]

Do you pay flood insurance?

[Normal]

You will have to ponder on the question a little longer. The complexity of your question can reach to the depths. Plus human error is with all of us.

[Maker]

What if there was a notice like this....

On Monday Oct 11 all residents with reclaimed water irrigation systems are urged to operate their irrigation for 2 hours to assist with lowering pond levels. Since water meters measure usage hourly, all bills will be adjusted for that usage at no cost. We appreciate the cooperation and assistance from all residents.

Immediate results of lowering pond levels.
Saves money. ZERO LABOR COST for manually overriding irrigation schedules like they are doing presently.
Pond levels are lowered without wasting water. Great PR during a drought.
Great benefits to all residents.
Eliminates spraying pedestrians and carts with pond scum.

Shouldn't management consider benefits to residents as their #1 priority. Especially when there are numerous benefits for everyone?

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Maker

What if there was a notice like this....

On Monday Oct 11 all residents with reclaimed water irrigation systems are urged to operate their irrigation for 2 hours to assist with lowering pond levels. Since water meters measure usage hourly, all bills will be adjusted for that usage at no cost. We appreciate the cooperation and assistance from all residents.

Immediate results of lowering pond levels.
Saves money. ZERO LABOR COST for manually overriding irrigation schedules like they are doing presently.
Pond levels are lowered without wasting water. Great PR during a drought.
Great benefits to all residents.
Eliminates spraying pedestrians and carts with pond scum.

Shouldn't management consider benefits to residents as their #1 priority. Especially when there are numerous benefits for everyone?

It's a nice idea but homes in the Villages are not set up for that.

- Most water meters in the Villages do not measure hourly usage...yet.
- Even where the new AMR meters are installed, monthly readings may not include hourly data; the billing system is certainly not configured to work with hourly data at this time.
- Some significant number of Villagers wouldn't be able to program their controllers to do this (too bad for the ones who can't, they either miss out, pay extra, or receive a violation)
- Some number of Villagers above 466 would mistakenly believe this applied to them. (too bad for them, they either pay extra or receive a violation)
- Zero Villagers irrigate with only reclaimed water. Villagers above 44 do not have access to reclaimed water at all.

It's a good idea but technically and logistically unworkable today.

[Maker]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

It's a nice idea but homes in the Villages are not set up for that.

- Most water meters in the Villages do not measure hourly usage...yet.
- Even where the new AMR meters are installed, monthly readings may not include hourly data; the billing system is certainly not configured to work with hourly data at this time.
- Some significant number of Villagers wouldn't be able to program their controllers to do this (too bad for the ones who can't, they either miss out, pay extra, or receive a violation)
- Some number of Villagers above 466 would mistakenly believe this applied to them. (too bad for them, they either pay extra or receive a violation)
- Zero Villagers irrigate with only reclaimed water. Villagers above 44 do not have access to reclaimed water at all.

It's a good idea but technically and logistically unworkable today.

All newer meters do hourly readings.
It would work just fine everywhere south of 44.
Just because the old area might not, does not mean the entire concept is unworkable. That thinking is preventing innovation.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Maker

All newer meters do hourly readings.
It would work just fine everywhere south of 44.
Just because the old area might not, does not mean the entire concept is unworkable. That thinking is preventing innovation.

The newer meters have registers to store hourly readings. BUT, are the hourly registers read or only the total? Can the billing system keep track of hourly readings or just one reading per month?

My bet, based on what the billing system has been used for over the past 40ish years, is single monthly readings is all it is capable of handling.

And I question whether all meters south of 44 have this capability. Some went in at the same time mine did and it would be odd if they installed different types at the same time.

[Pondboy]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

It's a nice idea but homes in the Villages are not set up for that.

- Most water meters in the Villages do not measure hourly usage...yet.
- Even where the new AMR meters are installed, monthly readings may not include hourly data; the billing system is certainly not configured to work with hourly data at this time.
- Some significant number of Villagers wouldn't be able to program their controllers to do this (too bad for the ones who can't, they either miss out, pay extra, or receive a violation)
- Some number of Villagers above 466 would mistakenly believe this applied to them. (too bad for them, they either pay extra or receive a violation)
- Zero Villagers irrigate with only reclaimed water. Villagers above 44 do not have access to reclaimed water at all.

It's a good idea but technically and logistically unworkable today.

I’d wonder if the system could even handle all lawns being irrigated at the same time. That’s a lot of water movement.

[Altavia]

Originally Posted by Minoletti

SITUATION
we had a lot of rain. Pond levels are higher than the pre determined engineering levels. Sprinklers are run to lower the levels. I get that.
Goft carts staying in their Lanes as well as pedestrians are getting sprayed by wind blown or mis adjusted sprinkler dirty pond water.
QUESTION
why aren't the Sprinklers scheduled to run in the later evening when there is minimal traffic?

Irrigation for flood mitigation is manually controlled,

They send guys with a radio controller to switch irrigation sections on and off to help reduce irrigation basin levels to reduce the risk of flooding in case the is another storm.

They also look for broken sprinkler heads at that time and mark for repair.

Those adjustments are made on site daily. Not practical to adjust several times daily.

Attached is a presentation:
"Stormwater Management in The Villages®
Village Community Development District No. 7
October 7, 2026 – SeaBreeze Regional Recreation Center"