Comments and my answers to this post that reached a whopping 16,784 people:
Comment: Carole Ellen LeidiWhat if you know that one is not following such
restrictions? Answer: Please contact Daphne McCann at Water Utilities Administration at 863834-8316 (option 2) or at Daphne.McCann@Lakelandgov.net
Comment: Kathy WoodsHmm City of Lakeland for all Polk county.... Well I'm in Auburndale not
Lakeland and I have well water on a private road so I think I have say what I can do cause
nothing says for my city.....and with all the rain we been having come now.....and what bout my
grass and plants umm yea not gonna let it catch fire. Answer: The Water Management District
Rule that governs these restrictions apply to Auburndale and to water wells on private
land. Conserving water during the rainy season means there will be more water available during
times of drought. Grass and plants can typically survive and thrive under these watering
restrictions because watering in the morning or evening hours minimizes evaporation so that
your plants get the water instead of having the water evaporate away. Also, we tend to water
more than is healthy for our plants and grass. Watering less discourages diseaseand can keep
the grass from yellowing. You can spot treat the grass by hand watering on any day. And you
can use low-volume misters or drip irrigation without having to follow any day or time
restrictions.
Comment: Tina Sellers what about new construction with homes whose sod and landscaping
haven't had time to root properly yet? Is there any length of time where they can water more
frequently as needed? Answer: Yes, for new plants: Days 1-30 watering is allowed on any
day. Days 31-60 watering for even addresses is allowed Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays; odd
addresses can water Monday, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Time restrictions still apply except
that new plants can be watered anytime on the day that they’re planted.
Comment: Cheryl AlexanderI have tried to report violators in the past. The message asks for
the exact address. Some places do not display their address very well. Also, a lot water at night
with sprinkler heads missing that produce huge gushers. Many of these are goverment
buildings. There needs to be better monitoring. Answer: Water Utilities just started doing
regular water restriction patrols. If you don’t know the exact location or you see a government
building issue, please report it to Daphne McCann at Water Utilities Administration at 863-8348316 (option 2) or Daphne.McCann@Lakelandgov.net.
Comment: Volker Doc HeigelmannHa ha. Like this is going to really be enforced. By who, the
cops? Too funny. Answer: Water Utilities is now doing regular water restriction patrols to
enforce the rules.
Miranda LugoDoes this mean businesses like mcdonalds and home Depot have to stop spraying
ridiculous amounts of water on their lots to clean them, or whatever reason they do it? I really
dislike seeing this go on. I'm fine with the water restrictions by the way. Answer: The water
restrictions apply to all businesses as well, but are only meant for lawn and landscape
watering. While there are more conservation minded ways to clean a parking lot, this practice is
not currently restricted under the Water Management District rules.
Grace BrownIf I have to conserve water then I should see a reduction in my
bill?? Answer: Saving money on your water bill is one of the many benefits that can come from
water conservation. Other benefits include: allowing more users to share a limited water
supply; making sure our water supply lasts; and keeping the cost of treated water down by not
having to resort to lake or sea water, which is much more expensive to treat than the
groundwater we currently use.
More posts:
Did you know that we are pumping water out of our Aquifer (underground water) much faster than rain
water can refill it? This means that we will either need to find another source of water soon, which will
be expensive (think much higher water bills); or we need to start conserving our water (much less
expensive!). Please be sure to do everything you can to use less water.
Did you know that Florida Statute does not allow a Home Owner’s Association to prohibit FloridaFriendly Landscaping? Florida-Friendly landscaping uses plants that are well-suited to our climate and to
the conditions in your yard and don’t require a lot of water and maintenance. If your Home Owner’s
Association is discouraging you from turning your yard into a beautiful Florida-Friendly yard, please let
us know.
Did you know that anything that gets thrown on the ground in Lakeland will likely be washed into the
nearest lake the next time it rains? Please help protect the lake water by cleaning up after your pets,
applying pesticide and fertilizer minimally, and disposing of garbage (including cigarette butts) in the
garbage can.
Did you know that your sprinkler system may be the number one cause of wasted water in your
house? Please be sure to have your system checked every 6 months to make sure the timer is not set to
water more than your assigned days (Even addresses - Thurs and/or Sun; Odd address -Wed and/or Sat;
before 10am and after 4pm), make sure to adjust for daylight savings time, and check for broken or
misdirected sprinkler heads that might be watering the concrete.
Did you know that all toilets sold after 1994 are significantly more water efficient than older
ones? Older ones use about twice as much water, so if your toilet was installed before 1994 you may
want to consider replacing it with one that will help conserve our limited water and will save you money
in the long run.
Did you know that sprinkler systems and toilets are the biggest water hogs in the home? Please make
sure that your sprinkler system and toilets are working properly so that our limited water supplies and
your money are not wasted.
Did you know that mowing your lawn higher makes the grass roots grow deeper so that the lawn can get
water from the ground more easily? This means you won’t have to water as much to get that lush,
green grass. A higher cut also shades out weeds and keeps grass roots pest-resistant. Set your mower
blades to the highest setting for best results.
Did you know that Perennial Peanut (Arachis glabrata) can make a beautiful native ground cover that
can easily replace your grass so that your lawn watering and mowing days will be over? The need for
water becomes very low once Perennial Peanut becomes established. This yellow-flowering
groundcover can flourish in sunny and sandy yards. Other grass alternatives are Asiatic Jasmine and
Sunshine Mimosa. Click here to find other Florida-Friendly
plants: http://floridayards.org/fyplants/index.php
Did you know that Lakeland Water Utilities has a conservation website that has a calendar of events,
conservation tips, water restriction rules and more? Here it
is! http://www.lakelandgov.net/water/conservation
Did you know that watering your yard using drip tubing and misters (micro-irrigation) is not restricted by
day or time? This is because when you water directly on the roots and in low volume the water is less
likely to be wasted to evaporation and will be used by your plants and grass. Hand watering with a spray
nozzle is also not restricted. Click here for a full list of Lakeland Water
Restrictions: http://www.lakelandgov.net/Portals/Water/Updated%20Handout%20Rules%
2040D%2022.pdf