Increased water restrictions enforcement for Sugarmill Woods.

Contact: Jim Hunter
Public Information Officer
August 8, 2009

Citrus County Code Compliance officers will begin conducting increased enforcement of watering restrictions in Sugarmill Woods beginning Saturday, Aug 8.

The county is under a consent order with the Southwest Florida Water Management District to reduce pumping from county wells supplying Sugarmill Woods, as well as two other large subdivisions, Pine Ridge and Citrus Springs.

While the trend is down for all, Sugarmill Woods use is over the level allowed in its water withdrawal permit, and the county could face fines that could get passed on to the water customers.

Robert Knight, the county's Director of Water Resources, said, "Most of the citizens there are complying with the restrictions and for that I'm grateful. However, the highest water using homes there are using an average of 44,000 gallons a month. And, there are more than 400 homes using this amount.

"This equals 675 gallons per person per day - which is four and a half times the amount the Water Management District establishes as reasonable and beneficial. Given all the rain we've been having, it's astonishing that so many homes are still using so much water."
Utility officials said the increased enforcement could continue into future weeks, depending on the level of compliance. Watering restriction violations result in an initial warning and then a $100 fine. A third violation results in a $250 fine.

For houses with addresses whose number ends in 0 or 1, watering is allowed only on Monday; for addresses ending 2 or 3, it is allowed only on Tuesday; addresses ending in 4 or 5, only on Wednesday; 6 or 7, only on Thursday; 8 or 9 (and locations without a discernible address) only on Friday.

Watering is allowed once a day, before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m. for properties less than two acres, and before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. for properties two acres and larger.
For more information about restrictions, call the water district’s Water Restriction Hotline: 1-800-848-0499 (It is automated, but personal assistance is available during business hours) or go to watermatters.org online.

The county Internet site also has information here or call 527-7648.

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