Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 1407424)

I wasn't going to stir this pot, but why not?

We are being asked to reduce our water use by maybe 50% due to drought. Your lawn may not die, but it could, necessitating sodding at your expense.
Your expensive landscaping may not die, but it could

So how much are the bottling plants required to reduce their water consumption??? Or can they continue to use water without drought restrictions in order to make a profit, while we look at brown grass??? It just seems that if sacrifices need to be made due to the weather, everyone should feel some pain.

Originally Posted by Gordon82 (Post 1407559)

I don't understand all of this concern about the bottling plant. That water comes from the aquifer, while the irrigation restrictions come from reclaimed water, at least for the vast majority of homes.

I do think the way the restrictions are being implemented is ridiculous. Many people WILL run their system more on the one day and might even use up the same amount of water they were using before because they don't understand proper irrigation practices. But what everyone DOES understand is the cost they are paying, at least after the bill comes. Why not have a set of rates that spike after a certain minimum threshold is reached - something that would get the attention of just about anyone? Lots of a certain size would have a higher threshold. When your bill comes and you have to pay $250 for irrigation because you didn't pay attention, you WILL make changes. Even in a drought, it isn't necessary for people to water just once a week, even if that could be easily enforced. You need to provide a strong incentive to use less water.

Originally Posted by l2ridehd (Post 1408275)

I agree. Yes they are not using reclaimed water, but the water issues that impact reclaimed also impact ALL water supply including aquifer. Maybe not to the same extent, but there is an impact. And charging everyone a 10% surcharge and limiting us to one day a week will cause an impact to our lawns and landscape.

So who are the elected officials who approved the two bottling plants? They should be voted out of office. And than the issue of another 24000 homes in Sumter county. Does anyone believe there will not be a water issue because of that? Perhaps no more building permits until the water shortage is resolved?

The current Villages residents are a majority voting base in the 3 counties we are located in. We should exercise our combined voting block to stop these type of issues and remove those who approve water plants and building permits. Not a popular position I am sure, but we do have the power to make something happen. If we don't, the problem will get worse.

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter (Post 1408325)

Reading all the posts will reveal that the reclaimed water, when it doesn't rain, is very limited and is then supplemented from the aquifer.

Originally Posted by njbchbum (Post 1408351)

Is rain run-off the only source of reclaimed water in the Villages? Or is water from the water treatment facilities also included in that reclamation process?

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter (Post 1408382)

No water from the treatment plants on residential lawns. Somewhere I have an email from District Gov. stating that.

Originally Posted by njbchbum (Post 1408628)

But the reclaimed water is used on the golf courses and common areas?

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter (Post 1408382)

No water from the treatment plants on residential lawns. Somewhere I have an email from District Gov. stating that.

Originally Posted by biker1 (Post 1408662)

Yes, that is true. Irrigation water for residential is from runoff ponds or other sources (but not from the sewage treatment plants).

Originally Posted by redwitch (Post 1407081)

Be careful not to overwater to compensate for only once a week. All you'll succeed in doing is having a lot of runoff, root rot and fungus on your lawn. Your grass won't die with only one a week watering, but it won't look pretty and green. It takes a lot of dryness to truly kill off either zoysia or St. Augustine.

Originally Posted by Gary Moscowitz (Post 1413502)

It's not the grass I'm concerned about. Certain shrubs and other flowering plants are much less resistant to drought. Our landscape service suggests 3/4 in of water per zone for the duration of the restrictions. That equates to 45min+ per zone. I have to question the math on this in that normally we set zones for 15-20 min three times a week and vegetation does just fine. Now one time perweek to equal 3/4in of rain is clearly more water usage than the lesser amt 3X/wk. If it's a question of not enough volume of water in the piping system to handle all homes doing 3X/wk then the restriction makes sense, but as for total usage it just doesn't equate. I have asked for further clarification but none coming. It's one thing to risk losing $1000's of dollars of vegetation if what we have to do makes sense. But if the math suggests otherwise, we the homeowners lose. With the expected rains that we are now getting almost daily, who is monitoring the situation to perhaps lift this restriction?