TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A Water Shortage Warning was issued Wednesday by the Governing Board of the Northwest Florida Water Management District for all surface and groundwater sources, according to the water management district.
The district serves about “1.5 million residents and covers an 11,305 square mile area,” including Franklin, Gadsden, Jackson, Leon, Liberty, Wakulla, western Jefferson, Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Gulf, Holmes, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington counties, per the regional state agency’s website.
The order is effective immediately and will remain in effect until canceled by the governing board, the water management district’s order revealed.
As a result, the order states that all users are encouraged to “reduce water use and to conserve water to the maximum extent possible.” Furthermore, Landscaping irrigation users are encouraged to limit watering to low evaporation periods during the evening and early morning hours, according to the district.
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“These voluntary measures shall not be construed to limit any activities designated to prevent the spread of fire or to save property from being destroyed by fire,” per the order. “these volunteary measures do not exempt any water user from complying with applicable mandatory water use restrictions placed on public supply utility customers due to capacity problems with water supply facilities.”
The warning follows a week of drought conditions affecting the entire district, the regional state agency said. “Streamflow conditions throughout the District were below-normal to extremely-below-normal and groundwater levels were continuing to decline,” per the district’s statement.
However, WCTV reports show that drought conditions have been ongoing since mid-September.
Drought conditions are expected to persist through April, according to the order.
The warning Thursday comes a month after the Suwannee River Water Management District issued its water shortage advisory for 15 counties.
Read the full order below:
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