Water Shortage Warning Issued For Parts Of Florida
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WEST PALM BEACH (CBSMiami) - Falling water levels and extremely dry conditions that are expected to continue has led the South Florida Water Management District to issue a water shortage warning.
The warning affects all 8.1 million residents in the agency's 16 counties.
"The purpose of this warning is to urge South Florida families to voluntarily conserve more water," said SFWMD Governing Board Chairman Dan O'Keefe. "This effort will help your water supply last through the remainder of the dry season."
The most beneficial conservation practice is following the District's year-round landscape irrigation conservation measures and any local landscape irrigation ordinance. These rules can be found at www.sfwmd.gov/mywateringdays.
If voluntary water conservation efforts don't help the situation, the SFWMD may consider further mandatory water use restrictions.
On Tuesday, a temporary ban on all open fires and campfires on District lands was issued. The ban includes lands open for recreational purposes in Hendry, Glades, Okeechobee, Osceola and Polk counties.
Additionally, SFWMD's prohibitions could be expanded to other locations throughout the District if drought conditions continue.
The wet season typically begins June 1.
Current Conditions:
- March only saw 34 percent of average rainfall District-wide
- This is 1.88 inches below average
- Miami-Dade County was the only area from Orlando to the Keys that received near normal rainfall
- Since the start of the dry season on Nov. 1, SFWMD has only seen 44 percent of average rainfall
- This is 6.75 inches below average.
