Did you know that approximately 30 to 40% of water used inside residential buildings is used for toilet flushing? Apparently these ultra-low toilets reduces water requirements in single family residences by about 20% and in multi-residential units by about 40%
I didn't realize this, but Southwest Florida Water Management District declared a severe water shortage in Manatee and 15 others counties earlier this month. Heightened water restrictions allow lawn irrigation once a week instead of twice weekly, as allowed during non-drought conditions.
Every county in the Southwest Florida Water Management District is experiencing some water resource impacts as a result of lack of rainfall over the last year. According to the district's press release, some of the hydrologic indicators used to support the water shortage declaration included:
- Average District deficit rainfall of 11.6 inches in 2006;
- As of Jan. 3, abnormally low groundwater conditions existed in portions of 15 of the sixteen counties within the District;
- Below normal streamflow was measured in most of our rivers, including those associated with the District’s three largest public supply systems that depend heavily on surface water supplies (Tampa Bay Water, city of Tampa, and Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority);
- As of Dec. 26, all sixteen counties in the District were experiencing drought or abnormally dry conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor;
- As of December, all sixteen counties in the District were experiencing drought conditions affecting irrigation water demand, according to the Long-Term Palmer Index, an agricultural drought assessment tool.
