Water Conservation is the top priority of the Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority (Authority) since it’s a key link between balancing current and future water needs by:

• ensuring a sufficient water supply without compromising the region’s ability to meet future generations’ needs;

• increasing the efficient use of water by extending existing water supplies for new customers and by deferring increases in demand;

• providing efficient use of potable water supplies to reduce the risk of supply deficits during a water shortage or drought; and

• reducing energy requirements and greenhouse gas emissions, protecting air, water resources and the sustainability of environmentally sensitive lands and water resources.

The Authority’s 2019 Regional Water Supply Master Plan Update identifies water conservation as the most cost-efficient means to increase the availability of existing water in the region. Beginning in 2002, water conservation matching grants have been awarded to member governments by the Authority primarily to build a team of coordinators that oversee local programs for rebates, incentives, irrigation audits, outreach, media campaigns, education, and subsidies for installing low-flow devices. The goal has been to help the region comply with the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (SWFWMD) rule seeking to reduce water demand from an average of 187 in 2008 to 150 gallons per day per capita by 2018. Cooperative Funding from the SWFWMD has been sought by the Authority to further off-set the local costs for specialized technical staff training for conducting landscape irrigation inspections services.

Possibly 20 to 30 years from now, expensive alternative water sources will need to be collaboratively developed for affordability purposes. When needed, alternatives to fresh groundwater would likely include water safely withdrawn from the Withlacoochee River, as approved and permitted by the water management district and the Department of Environmental Protection, as well as the potential for a desalination plant at the Crystal River power plant. In the future, users of the water will pay for the bonding needed to finance these alternative water systems, not the general local governments. At the present time however, water conservation programs are the most appropriate way for the Authority to help local governments extend the use of lower cost groundwater supplies.

Irrigation System Evaluations Program

The Irrigation Evaluations Program is a water conservation initiative developed through a partnership between the Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority and several local water utilities, in collaboration with the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) and the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD).

The program is designed to help single-family residential customers improve outdoor water efficiency and reduce unnecessary water use.

Program Objectives

The primary goal of the program is to reduce outdoor water consumption. The irrigation evaluation includes:

• Evaluating single-family residential irrigation systems to identify efficiency improvements
• Installing rain sensors where a functional sensor is not currently present
• Providing water conservation education to encourage additional conservation practices

Target Audience

Each utility identifies their single-family residential irrigation customers with the highest water usage — typically those exceeding 20,000 gallons per month. Customers are sent an application form as part of a targeted mailing. After WRWSA receives the forms, then our evaluation contractor schedules a site visit, distributes water conservation education materials, and sends a detailed report to the customer. The evaluation is completely free for the residential customer.

Program Benefits

• Reduced residential water use by an average of 20%
• Improved irrigation system efficiency
• Lower monthly water bills
• Adjusting irrigation system components for the specific vegetation in the yard
• Increased awareness of sustainable water conservation practices

Entities Involved

The following organizations participated in the program:

• Citrus County Utilities
• Hernando County Utilities
• Marion County Utilities
• City of Belleview
• The Villages
  • Village Center Community Development District
  • North Sumter County Utility Dependent District