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Growth prompts tighter water rules
By ANDREW SKERRITT
Published April 8, 2007
This time of year, the rain doesn't fall, the sun heats up and the grass turns brown. The word "drought" becomes part of our daily conversation. That's why it might be good to discuss a proposal by the Southwest Florida Water Management District to introduce tougher water use rules for eastern and northern Pasco.
The new rules, to be discussed Monday at a workshop at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City, would kick in with the expansion of the Northern Tampa Bay Water Use Caution Area to parts of Pasco and Hillsborough. Given how that area has grown in the past decade, that move is overdue.
Residents of Hernando and Citrus shouldn't feel left out, however. Swiftmud is also talking about creating a water use caution area for those two historically rural counties.
In places like Spring Hill, golf courses and hundreds of unregulated private wells put a lot of pressure on groundwater resources.
The purpose of a Water Use Caution Area is to impose special requirements for water users and permit applicants to prevent or remedy environmental problems, such as falling water levels. The creation of a water use caution area is seen as one way to prevent Citrus, Hernando and east Pasco from becoming like Pinellas and west Pasco.
"We're trying to get ahead of the curve," said Miki Renner, a Swiftmud planning manager.
Folks in east Pasco have a strong incentive to act now. The Northern Tampa Bay Water Use Caution Area was created in 1989 to curb damage caused by decades of overpumping in Pasco well fields. Lake levels were dropping; wetlands were drying up. Something had to be done.
The designation gave Swiftmud authority to impose strict water use rules for developers, water utilities, farms and golf courses. For example, the agency may limit the average daily water use for each person in a development and can levy fines if those limits are exceeded. Utilities had to charge rates that penalized high water use. Golf courses and farms had to install efficient irrigation systems. And Swiftmud would combine the punitive measures with strong conservation education and water reclamation projects.
Until now, those requirements covered Pinellas, most of Hillsborough and about two thirds of Pasco - the area west of U.S. 41 and south of state Road 54. Areas to the east, like the burgeoning Connerton development, haven't been included.
That will change if the Northern Tampa Bay Water Use Caution Area is expanded.
Why now?
"It's a recognition of the growth that's occurring in that part of the county," said Ken Weber, a Swiftmud water use program director.
Call it an ounce of prevention or better yet, planning for the future.
This matters to the homeowner who adores a well-manicured lawn. If that person can conserve water, the lakes and wetlands will be better for it. It means county government will have to spend less on restoring wetlands and stormwater drainage.
"We are all in this together," Weber said.
Yes, we are.
Andrew Skerritt can be reached at 813 909-4602 or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 4602. His e-mail address is
askerritt@sptimes.com. IF YOU GO
What: Northern Tampa Bay Water Use Caution Area Expansion Workshop
When: 10 a.m. Monday
Where: Historic Pasco County Courthouse, Dade City
More information: Visit www.watermatters.org; under "Features" click on "Northern District Strategy"
[Last modified April 7, 2007, 22:05:08]
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