FLORIDA:The South Lake Regional Water Initiative is drafting an ordinance that would unify the cities and county on landscaping codes and require Florida-friendly landscaping and limiting irrigation for landscaping.The ordinance is one step of many in conserving water in the south Lake region, according to water experts.
“We know from a recent study compiled by the SLRWI we have enough water to meet potable demands for the residents, but we have a gap of 12 to 16 million gallons per day to be used for irrigation,” said Lake County Commissioner Sean Parks, co-founder of the SLRWI. “Conservation is going to help us fill that gap.”
Water experts have cautioned that south Lake County has a little under five years to find an alternative water supply before withdrawals from the aquifer could begin impacting lakes, wetlands and springs.The South Lake Regional Water Initiative is a coalition that includes the cities of Clermont, Groveland, Minneola, Mascotte, Montverde, the South Lake Chamber of Commerce, private utility companies and the county, working in conjunction with the Central Florida Water Initiative to find an alternative water supply.
The ordinance it is drawing up would be presented to the cities and the county in 2016. It would require new developments to use Florida Water Star, a water conservation certification program for landscape design providing “water-efficient options,” according to information from the program.
