Water, water everywhere but not here

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t count on it being there.

Stricter measures may be implemented in the 16 county region if deemed necessary at the next Southwest Water Management District (Swiftmud) meeting on December 18. Swiftmud is hopeful that residents will voluntarily limit lawn watering to every other week instead of the current once a week mandatory schedule. It should be well known that unnecessary watering at this time of year will harm lawns and plants as the drought continues in the coming months. I agree with this assessment. Watering my yard during these months gives weeds the perfect environment to flourish; that’s not the type of green I want to see out my windows.

We take water for granted. As long as it comes out of the faucet, there’s no incentive to heed repeated warnings. With two adults and two cats in my household the typical water bill is less than $15 per month, which I feel is exceptionally reasonable. The sprinkler system stays off the “automatic” setting, although I might turn it on for a short period after the lawn has been mowed every other week. Quite often the growth warrants less intervals of grooming.

Water is a life-sustaining commodity, yet is all too often poorly managed. People would be more inclined to conserve if supply and demand were used to regulate pricing, just as oil dictates the cost of gasoline. It would be a drastic measure but responsibility is demanded under these conditions. Stricter fines should be implanted, although I question proper enforcement behind the walls of gated communities.

There needs to be a moratorium on the use of St. Augustine grass. There are other varieties that are Florida friendly, drought resistant.

During the drought years from 2000 to 2004, I experienced the demanding expectations of a homeowner association when they threatened homeowners with fines if lawns failed to meet their standards of green. The cost was extreme, the reasoning irrational. I stand firm never to associate myself with such a group again.

At this point, Hernando County residents are less affected than areas further south in Sarasota and Charlotte counties, where a drought surcharge may me implemented. Golf courses have been told to use 45% of their average amount. I view this as an appropriate action but I question the correctness of the same restriction on agricultural irrigation. Although farming accounts for 80% of water usage in the United States, I fear the affect it will have on an industry that ranks second to tourism in revenue in Florida.

Perhaps the most extreme of citizen comments was the suggesting that there should be a ban of all outdoor watering and restricting permits for new developments. Officially, Swiftmud said the drought is temporary and will not hinder long-term planning. For the time being, the housing slump lessens the concern.

As has happened in Hernando County, land-use hearings and permits have risen statewide in anticipation of passage of the Hometown Democracy initiative to put future growth in Florida at the mercy of voters. There’s a rush to the finish line on Election Day, the 6th day in November. Florida Hometown Democracy has yet to fulfill the required signatures to place the constitutional amendment on the ballot.

Blame it on La Nina or global warming but eventually El Nino will bring an over-abundance of rain and we can once again relish the plush vegetation of our subtropical paradise.

May our lakes and rivers soon beam with the flow of water and aquatic life. Until then, we all need to “Conserve to Preserve”.