40C-21.641. Phase III Extreme Water Shortage

A Phase III Extreme Water Shortage is a Water Shortage where two or more Drought Indicators have severe values, or one Drought Indicator has an extreme value. In addition to the measures in Water Shortage Phases I and II, whichever are more stringent, the following restrictions will apply when a Phase III shortage is declared by the District, unless otherwise provided in the implementing order.

(1) Essential Uses. Each fire-fighting agency and each local government should direct its fire department to review and revise its list of primary and back-up water sources, and to work with District staff to proactively locate additional potential back-up water sources, such as existing permitted supplies, especially in areas where potable water is not available for fire-fighting purposes

(2) Public Supply Uses. All Public Supply water utilities shall:

(a) Plan for the supplementation or replacement of their primary potable water supplies, including coordinating with any applicable regional water supply authority or other public water supply system and coordinating with the District regarding the potential for the District to issue a Water Shortage Emergency order.

(b) Notify the District within 24 hours if the public supply water system experiences a sudden loss of its primary water supply or other significant change in system status.

(c) Institute or accelerate any other operational practices identified by the water utility that can be modified during the Water Shortage declaration to reduce water demand without causing adverse impacts to the public health, welfare, and safety.

(3) Commercial/Industrial/Institutional Uses. All Commercial/Industrial/Institutional Consumptive use permittees shall:

(a) Inform the District about any drought-related challenges with their water supplies. At a minimum, each permittee should, within 14 days of receipt of the District’s Water Shortage declaration notice and when any major change in water supply status occurs, notify the District regarding: any water well failures, quantity or quality concerns about primary water supplies, any anticipated need for supply supplementation, and planned strategies for supply supplementation in the event that the drought continues or worsens.

(b) Suspend clean-up requiring water use, except for the minimum required to protect efficiency of the operation and prevent damage to equipment.

(c) Suspend the washing of vehicles and other Mobile Equipment, except for the minimum required to meet health and safety needs or as otherwise required by published industry standards.

(d) Restaurants and other food-serving establishments should serve water only upon request.

(4) Agriculture Uses. All Agriculture users of water shall:

(a) Inform the District about any drought-related challenges with their water supplies. At a minimum, each Permittee should, within 14 days of receipt of the District’s declaration notice and when any major change in water supply status occurs, notify the District regarding: any water well failures, quantity or quality concerns about primary water supplies, any anticipated need for supply supplementation, and any planned strategies for supply supplementation if the Water Shortage continues or worsens.

(b) Suspend clean-up requiring water use, except for the minimum required to protect efficiency for the operation and prevent damage to equipment.

(c) Suspend the washing of vehicles and other Mobile Equipment, except for the minimum required to protect animal or human health or safety needs, such as to prevent the spread of plant or animal diseases.

(5) Landscape/Recreation/Aesthetic Uses.

(a) All residential Landscape Irrigation is limited to one-day a week in accordance with the schedule set forth in subparagraph 40C-2.042(2)(a)2., F.A.C. (Eastern Standard Time one-day a week irrigation schedule), regardless of the time of year.

(b) Golf Courses. All Golf Course water users shall:

1. Inform the District about any drought-related challenges with their water supplies. At a minimum, each water user shall, within 14 days of receipt of the District’s Water Shortage declaration notice, and when any major change in water supply status occurs, notify the District regarding: any water well failures, quantity or quality concerns about primary water supplies, any anticipated need for supply supplementation and any planned strategies for supply supplementation in the event that the Water Shortage continues or worsens.

2. Suspend clean-up requiring water use, except for the minimum required to protect efficiency of the operation and prevent damage to equipment.

3. Suspend the washing of golf carts, lawn mowers and other Mobile Equipment, except for the minimum necessary to meet health or safety needs, such as to prevent the spread of turfgrass disease.

4. Take appropriate actions to avoid water use increases. Examples of such actions include, but are not limited to:

a. Reducing wear on fairways by restricting cart traffic to designated paths only.

b. Modifying nutritional, soil amendment, and mowing practices to minimize heat stress.

c. Providing information to golfers and guests about the current Water Shortage declaration, the steps that the facility is taking to reduce water use, and how golfers and guests can conserve water while visiting the facility.

5. Reduce irrigation of fairways and driving range greens to no more than once per week.

6. Eliminate irrigation of roughs.

7. The establishment period for new plant materials shall be reduced to “15/30/15.” This means that the material can be watered on any day for a 15-day period starting the day it is installed, then up to three days a week during the next 30-day period, then only two days a week during the final 15-day period.

(c) Recreation Areas. The following water use measures shall apply to all playgrounds, football, baseball, and soccer fields. All Recreation Area water users shall:

1. Inform the District about any drought-related challenges with their water supplies. At a minimum, each water user shall, within 14 days of receipt of the District’s Water Shortage declaration notice and when any major change in the water supply status occurs, notify the District regarding any water well failures, quantity or quality concerns about the primary water supplies, any anticipated need for supply supplementation and any planned strategies for supply supplementation in the event that the Water Shortage continues or worsens.

2. Suspend clean-up requiring water use, except for the minimum required to protect efficiency of the operation and prevent damage to equipment.

3. Suspend the washing of lawn mowers and other Mobile Equipment, except for the minimum necessary to meet health or safety needs, such as to prevent the spread of turfgrass disease.

4. Take appropriate actions to avoid water use increases. Exampes of such actions include, but are not limited to:

a. Reducing wear on athletic fields as practicable.

b. Modifying nutritional, soil amendment, and mowing practices to minimize heat stress.

c. Providing information to players and guests about the current Water Shortage declaration, the steps that the facility is taking to reduce water use, and how players and guests can conserve water while visiting the facility.

(d) Landscape Uses. The following restrictions and other measures shall apply to all Landscape Uses, as applicable: 

1. Landscape Use irrigation is limited to one-day a week in accordance with the schedule set forth in subparagraph 40C-2.042(2)(a)2., F.A.C. (Eastern Standard Time one-day a week irrigation schedule), regardless of the time of year.

2. Suspend clean-up requiring water use, except for the minimum required to protect efficiency of the operation, and prevent damage to equipment.

3. Suspend the washing of lawn mowers and other mobile equipment, except for the minimum necessary to meet health or safety needs, such as the spread of Turfgrass disease.

4. The establishment period for new plant materials shall be reduced to “15/30/15.” This means that the material can be watered on any day for a 15-day period starting the day it is installed, then up to three days a week during the next 30-day period, then only two days a week during the final 15-day period.

(e) Aesthetic Use of water is prohibited.

(6) Mining/Dewatering Uses. Discharge of fresh water offsite or to tide from dewatering shall be reduced to the extent economically, environmentally, and technically feasible.

(7) Other Uses.

(a) Except as provided below, all Other Uses of water shall comply with the applicable provisions of chapter 40C-2, F.A.C., and shall implement the following demand management measures, as applicable:

(b) Washing or cleaning streets is only allowed in preparation of, or immediately after, a parade or other public event.

(c) Water Body Augmentation. All water body augmentation shall be limited to the following circumstances:

1. As authorized by a Consumptive Use Permit or Environmental Resource Permit (typically for environmental mitigation purposes).

2. The minimum necessary to maintain and preserve the structural integrity of a newly constructed or recently altered stormwater pond.

3. The minimum needed to maintain and preserve habitat for native fish and wildlife.

4. Where lake levels are below the lowest minimum level established for that lake by the District.

Rulemaking Authority 373.044, 373.113 FS. Law Implemented 373.175, 373.246 FS. History–New 1-1-84, Amended 8-23-18.