 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Courses must be held accountable for overpumping
© St. Petersburg Times, published January 7, 2001 The Southwest Florida Water Management District needs to add some bite to its bark about water conservation, especially for heavy commercial users. A recent Times report revealed that several golf courses in Citrus and Hernando counties have used much more water than they are allowed under the permits granted by the water management district, commonly known as Swiftmud. Worse, some have continued to overwater even after being notified of their violations by Swiftmud, while others have successfully placated the agency merely by promising they will do better. It is no surprise that some businesses continue to waste water, because there is hardly a deterrent. Swiftmud's regulations generously allow for repeated warnings and opportunities to half-heartedly comply. The threat of imposing hefty fines is very seldom acted upon. Swiftmud issues more than 8,600 water-use permits in its 16-county domain. In November, 46 had been identified as overpumpers. Among those were four golf courses in Citrus County and three in Hernando County. All offered reasons for exceeding their pumping permits, including not being aware of their limits, and having expansions and plantings that required additional watering. But the excuses, regardless of the justifications, do not change the unacceptable bottom line: Water is being wasted at a record pace -- more than a million gallons per day above the limit just at those seven golf courses -- during a record-breaking drought. The aquifer is 2.12 feet below the low end of normal in this northernmost region of Swiftmud's territory. Moreover, the forecast for rain is almost non-existent as we head into what traditionally is the dry season. Swiftmud has been aware since the summer that some of these golf courses were overpumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of water per day. Yet, the agency just now is seriously threatening to fine the worst offenders. That simply is too long to wait, especially when drought conditions exist and homeowners and smaller commercial users are not allowed to wash their cars or water their lawns. It is time for Swiftmud's governing board to take more decisive steps to preserve our most precious natural resource -- especially for the biggest users of potable water. Three measures that could make an immediate difference are: Promptly penalize overpumping. Enforce watering restrictions. Charge more for excessive water use. If Swiftmud is ever going to persuade local governments and individuals to make water conservation a priority, it must change the perception that it is employing a double standard to accommodate commercial users.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
From today's Hernando Times |
