Florida County Urges Reduced Irrigation Water Use

As dry conditions and heat turn St. Lucie County, Fla., into St. Lucie Desert, utilities officials imposed irrigation restrictions on water.

Although no fines will be imposed, residents in unincorporated St. Lucie County are asked to refrain from irrigating between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m., said Lisa Earl, utilities services manager for St. Lucie County Utilities. They are also asked to irrigate only three days a week.

"We are on dry conditions," she said. "If you irrigate during the day, a lot of it is evaporated before it even hits the ground."

She said reuse water, typically used by commercial businesses and apartment complexes, will be turned off during the restriction period. People seen irrigating during the restriction period will be given a friendly reminder of the voluntary restriction, she said.

The drought index average on Thursday in St. Lucie County was 670, higher than the 452 statewide average. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index ranges from 0 to 800, with 0 representing swampy conditions and 800 being a desert-like state.

"Looking at the drought conditions and percentage of rain in the future, it doesn't look good," Earl said.

The county remains under a burn ban, which prohibits all residential burning and fireworks.

The South Florida Water Management District has implemented some mandatory water restrictions for agricultural users in portions of Martin and St. Lucie counties. Those restrictions went into effect March 22.

WATER RESTRICTIONS

County utilities officials ask that residents not irrigate from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. They also ask that irrigation be done only three days a week.