April is one of the driest months in Florida, according to the National Weather Service.
It’s also the peak demand season for public water suppliers.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District declared April as Water Conservation Month for the 27th straight year.
This time, it’s under some pretty dry circumstances.
The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration said 30% of Hillsborough County is under moderate drought conditions.
The remaining 70% of the county is abnormally dry — a region that is “going into” or “coming out” of a drought. That accounts for nearly 369,000 people in Hillsborough County.
Nearly half of Florida is under drought, according to NOAA, with 11.5% of the state under “severe drought.”
According to a news release last week from SWFMD, the Tampa Bay area has gotten just over five inches of rain so far this year, but the average amount is more than 8 and a half inches
Katherine Squitieri said that saving water this time of year is crucial.
Squitieri is SWFMD’s Lead Conservation Education Coordinator. She said in many instances, people waste water without even knowing.
“When you’re thinking about indoor use, a great thing is that is that some of it seems like common sense, it’s just about changing some of your behaviors,” Squitieri said.
SWFMD said there are several easy ways to cut down on water usage and save money on monthly water bills.
People can only run the washer and dryer when they are full, or thawing frozen food in the refrigerator rather than under water.
To save water outdoors, people should not leave sprinklers unattended and should only use irrigation systems when needed.
For more information on how to save water, people can visit Watermatters.org/water101
Leave a Reply
