The St. Johns River Water Management District is partnering with the city of Apopka to help fund a water conservation program that targets high water use across residential, commercial and city accounts.
“Our cost-share program is an effective tool that aligns our vision to ensure the sustainable use of Florida’s water with local projects,” said St. Johns River Water Management District Executive Director Dr. Ann Shortelle. “Water conservation comes in many forms, and education that changes behavior has become an important method for reducing water use.”
The goal of the program is to target high water-use accounts, educate users about water conservation and make recommendations to reduce their consumption. After identifying high water-use accounts, the program offers recommendations for efficiency improvements.
“Our cost-share program is an effective tool that aligns our vision to ensure the sustainable use of Florida’s water with local projects. Water conservation comes in many forms, and education that changes behavior has become an important method for reducing water use.”
St. Johns River Water Management District Executive Director Dr. Ann Shortelle
Recommendations include identifying correct irrigation zones, suggesting run times, educating the owner on controller settings and Waterwise landscaping as well as providing rebates for irrigation system improvements. This approach is expected to result in a decrease in water use and therefore a decrease in groundwater withdrawals from the Floridan aquifer, while also reducing impacts on the nearby Rock Springs and Wekiwa springsheds.
The city of Apopka’s water conservation incentive program received $70,088 from the district’s cost-share program, which assists in funding projects related to enhancing water conservation efforts as well as developing sustainable water resources and providing flood protection.
For more information about the district’s cost-share program, visit www.sjrwmd.com/funding.
About the St. Johns River Water Management District
St. Johns River Water Management District staff are committed to ensuring the sustainable use and protection of water resources for the benefit of the people of the district and the state of Florida. The St. Johns River Water Management District is one of five districts in Florida managing groundwater and surface water supplies in the state. The district encompasses all or part of 18 northeast and east-central Florida counties. District headquarters are in Palatka, and staff also are available to serve the public at service centers in Maitland, Jacksonville and Palm Bay.
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