Water shortage in FL

[junglegalfla]

I read this article and found it pretty sickening. They are about to impose stricter watering restricitions here in St. Pete. I may have to find another hobby

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/columnists...ory/936589.html

[Paul The Palm Doctor!]

Wow, "junglegalfla," that's a pretty sweet deal (pardon the pun) that Coca-Cola uses to their HUGE advantage! I had no idea something like that was conveniently arranged for their "convenience" and bottom $$$ line!

Maybe Uncle Charlie Crist can rectify that situation, and not by having the consumer be taxed at point-of-sale! Boo!

No wonder citizenry nationwide can become so angry (and often justifiably so!) with thier local governments!

Geez!

Pablo

[happ]

Sorry about the water rationing, junglegalfla St Petersburg is so beautiful & lush [hate to see plant life suffer]

But our fates are similar. A 25% cut in water use will go in effect sometime before summer. The rain season is about to end & shortfalls mean penalties & higher water bills in California. Royals drink a lot of water.

[MattyB]

That reall is only going to punish people who've been saving water already. Sucks!

[SubTropicRay]

From what I last heard, southeast Florida can still irrigate twice a week. Dade and Broward Counties are into a more severe drought than Hillsborough and Pinellas counties but we've had one day a week restrictions for the past decade. The reservoir must be much bigger down there.

[elHoagie]

That reall is only going to punish people who've been saving water already. Sucks!

Actually, I've been looking around and it seems like it doesn't suck. It looks like LA needs to cut water usage by 15-25%, but they are not going to ask everyone to cut previous usage by that amount. Instead, they are going to make a large increase to the "tier 2" rate. Currently the "tier 1" and "tier 2" rates are about the same, but it looks like the "tier 2" rate will increase to almost double the "tier 1" rate this summer. Also, they will slightly decrease how much water can be used in "tier 1". The good thing is that the amount of water you can use at "tier 1" rates is determined based on your lot size and climate zone (there is also a small adjustment if a lot of people live in your house). So, everyone with the same size lot in the same location gets the same amount of water, it doesn't matter how much you've used previously. Last year I was using about 1/3 of my "tier 1" allocation, so I can still plant quite a few more palms before I get into the high "tier 2" rates.

Here's an article from the LA times:

LA Times Story

Also, here's the chart showing how much water can be purchased at "tier 1" prices in units of hundred cubic feet (HCF = 750 gallons)

Sorry to hijack the thread - hopefully those bottled water companies will start paying their fair share!

ladwp001152.pdf

[MattyB]

That's good news Jack. Our local water district told me the same thing. Metro WD tells the local water districts they've gotta cut back by __%, then the local water districts will hopfully translate that into a fair deal for us consumers instead of a straight across the board % cut back.

[junglegalfla]

Pssst, this thread is about FL /snark

[KMartin]

hehe

[Walt]

At least part of Florida got some relief. On this evening's news they said some parts of Dade County got up to 8 inches of rain today.

No such luck for my county (although we did get some light rain yesterday). Here in Highlands County we stand at 734, out of a possible 800, on the Keetch Bryan Drought Index, used by the Division of Forestry to rate the threat of wildfires. 734 is the average, but some areas are higher than that. 800 is considered desert like, with no moisture at all in the top 8 inches of soil.

[_Keith]

At least part of Florida got some relief. On this evening's news they said some parts of Dade County got up to 8 inches of rain today.

No such luck for my county (although we did get some light rain yesterday). Here in Highlands County we stand at 734, out of a possible 800, on the Keetch Bryan Drought Index, used by the Division of Forestry to rate the threat of wildfires. 734 is the average, but some areas are higher than that. 800 is considered desert like, with no moisture at all in the top 8 inches of soil.

While certainly better than nothing, the shame with those big rains is that most of it runs off.

[Paul The Palm Doctor!]

I can take comfort in that, Keith as my area got wind and blowing dust mostly! It's looking kind of like Phoenix in many parts of Broward County, FL this year.

My city, Pembroke Pines, did something more aggravating about its water supply. As of October '08, any usage of city water over last year's (October of '07) will be charged 35% MORE for this particular city water because it's their assumption that no one uses anything but well (or lake water) for outdoor, read live plant maintenance, usages.

I only use well water for the grass (at the maximum allowable 2 X per week) and any delicate new palm seedling plantings are hand watered now almost daily (which IS allowed) but you definitely "pay for the privilege!"

My bottom line, I've decreased city water usage a bit but my invoice still is more than what it was a year ago (keeping in mind that I replanted a lot after Hurricane Wilma which was in late '05) so my city water bill increased from $300.00 a month to $330.00 a month. That's a decent portion of my normal monthly budget to "run" this place!

I've always felt that if/when states have actual battles with each other sometime in the future, it will be over allotments of water more than other resources! We know how angry people get after hurricanes and there's not enough ice and drinking water to go around. Suppose that these skirmishes are the norm in 2109? I'm glad that I'm living in this century and NOT the next!

How dry I am!

Paul

[Palmə häl′ik]

How much does it cost to get into that 'reclaimed' water line Pinellas County's got to offer? Or is that not available in your area? I'm across the bridge in Hills, and have always heard about that re-claimed system you've got goin' on over there...

[spockvr6]

How much does it cost to get into that 'reclaimed' water line Pinellas County's got to offer? Or is that not available in your area? I'm across the bridge in Hills, and have always heard about that re-claimed system you've got goin' on over there...

In Tarpon Springs----

It was $350 to connect (they have to install a second meter and also replace your potable water meter with a new one which has backflow prevention).

After the connection is made, its $0.95 per 1000 gallons.

[spockvr6]

Double post.

Edited March 19, 2009 by spockvr6

[SubTropicRay]

Hillsborough County is way behind Pinellas.

[TikiRick]

Beginning on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 17, it began to drizzle in most of metro Ft. Lauderdale. It began to rain heavily that evening and has been raining from a light shower to heavy downpour until now, 8am on 3/19/09!!!

I have recorded 6.5 inches in my garden from this stalled cold front. On the first day of spring----what could be better???

[SubTropicRay]

Tampa City council will recommend 2 day a MONTH watering restrictions next week.

[Paul The Palm Doctor!]

A Post Script on anemic total of SW Broward Co. rainfall...

It began to rain at 4 AM, and continued (gently) until 9:30 AM.

We're tallying now about .70 of an inch! I'll take it! That makes it almost one inch since last October. Bring on the reclaimed water option!

Paul

[SubTropicRay]

It's official for Tampa, 2 day a month watering with sprinklers. Hand watering of ornamentals is still unlimited.

[Tampa Scott]

Hillsborough County is way behind Pinellas.

Ray, Reclaimed water service in Hillsborough County is located mostly in the N.W area, Carrolwood and the New Tampa areas. I have had RCW service for a few years now. I pay a flat rate of $7 a month for all I can use and is not metered. This rate is good for the first 30 years. Hillsborough Co. tried to change the rate to a metered rate after the system was installed, but the County finally agreed to let the rate and no meters policy stand for us with existing RCW service.

[SubTropicRay]

Hi Scott,

Unfortunately, it is not available down here. How a city so stretched for water hasn't already addressed the problem amazes me. When will the folks in charge realize that drought is/has become the norm. Years of sufficient rainfall are few and far between. They should throw money at repairing the water desalinization plant and putting reclaimed water lines in the most densely populated part of the county. That would, off course, mean less revenue from the surcharges and watering citations they will now get to issue.

Ray

[falcon1988]

I have Reclaimed water and I pay around $7-9 per month and its not metered. Which you can use

unliminted you get charge for using or not why not. What I can't understand is that Florida is surround by water and Florida can't build a water station to remove salt from the gulf or bay this would solve allot of issues on water shortages if its turthful. I just think that the city is just tring to get more money out of people this has been happening for decades. The city is just using the water shortage as an excuse to get the funds its a pure headache this time of year.

[Paul The Palm Doctor!]

I have Reclaimed water and I pay around $7-9 per month and its not metered. Which you can use

unliminted you get charge for using or not why not. What I can't understand is that Florida is surround by water and Florida can't build a water station to remove salt from the gulf or bay this would solve allot of issues on water shortages if its turthful. I just think that the city is just tring to get more money out of people this has been happening for decades. The city is just using the water shortage as an excuse to get the funds its a pure headache this time of year.

I heartily agree with you, Matthew! I was told by an employee in the Public Utilities Dept. that since the hurricanes really stopped the surges in population growth, that raising the price of water by 35% is like a luxury tax.

Only gardeners, which they estimate comprise only about 25% of Pembroke Pines' 127,000 population, would be intimately effected by the October rate hike and that will provide enough to help offset the loss in new tax ratables from developments not getting completed and MORE strip shopping malls not getting done. She said: "that gardeners would be unlikely to give up their watering, so everyone is happy!" "The plants stay alive unlit the rains start in June, and the city gets much-needed cash that everyone can benefit from!"

I think that was a pretty low blow. She said that: "I'd get used to it, in no time at all!"

Well, isn't that special, fellow palm lovers??!

Pablo SIN DINERO!

[SubTropicRay]

The handwatering restrictions take effect in one week. Most homeowners will get lazy and landscapes will turn brown.

[Paul The Palm Doctor!]

Even after "all that rain" Ray, it's been so wndy & arid in this part of Florida, that the grass is ALREADY turning a greying form of green. Brown is next! We're still about 7 or 8 weeks away, until air mass thunder showers get going with any regularity. That's all the Water Mgmt. Districts need to see! Black & white decisions!

Hand watering is going to be critical until then (I'm sneaking water; the hell with their decrees!) I hate to see them behave so predictibly AND arbitrarily but that's Florida.

Who gets these jobs? Can't these guys ever empathise with homeowners? (rhetorically!) Of course, "no" they cannot!

Paul

[junglegalfla]

FINALLY got some rain! A whole .52. We need this for a whole week

[SubTropicRay]

Same .5" here Bren. The wind on Saturday was wicked.