Drought Still Threatens Residents, Businesses, and Ecosystems

Water conservation should always be a priority for Floridians, but especially during this year as we have experienced a drastic and extended dry season. Over the past few months, Florida has seen record rainfall deficits and extreme dry surface conditions. Scientists reported detrimental impacts to our environment and water resources, and these impacts extend to residents and businesses even into the wet season.

Communities like West Palm Beach and Tampa enacted stringent water restrictions for residential communities, but acted so late into the drought season that these measures were not nearly as meaningful as they might have been if used as preventative instead of reactive measures. Newspapers reported that Southwest Florida experienced its worst drought in 80 years. Lake Okeechobee water levels have fell below 10 feet above sea level for the first time since 2007. Extreme dry conditions like these were statewide.  

Clean Water Action is urging our members to continue to exercise prudence with your water usage and conserve as much water as possible; though the wet season has officially begun, we have not yet received enough precipitation to pull us out of the drought conditions that resulted from extended months without rain. You can do this by refraining from watering your lawn, taking shorter showers, and making sure they all leaky faucets are repaired.

For more conservation ideas, check out the South Florida Water Management District's water conservation website