When Polk County Utilities (PCU) customers conserve water, it saves them money and protects Polk’s most precious resource.
Is Polk running out of water? No. Polk County, along with the rest of Florida, is running out of inexpensive water.
Where does Polk County get its water?
Polk County’s groundwater supply primarily comes from the Upper Floridan aquifer. However, the amount of water that can be pumped from the Upper Floridan aquifer is limited. Over pumping of the aquifer can result in harm to the environment, including impacts to Polk’s lakes, springs and wetlands. The State of Florida’s Water Management Districts have determined that the maximum sustainable withdrawals from the Upper Floridan aquifer will be reached by the end of 2025.
To protect Polk’s natural water resources, PCU, in partnership with the cities in Polk County, are developing projects that use alternative raw water sources. These projects are part of a long-range plan to provide clean, reliable water supplies for future generations. The treated water from these newly developed sources will meet rigorous health and safety standards before being blended with groundwater and delivered to customers. However, alternative water supply projects are much more costly to construct and operate, so customers will see these increased costs reflected in their bill. The most effective way to ease the increasing cost of water is to conserve it.
Conserving Water Outdoors
Regardless of your irrigation water source, it’s important to make sure you are watering your lawn responsibly, especially if using an automatic sprinkler system.
- Make sure you are watering your lawn within your designated days and times. For residential and commercial customers of PCU, lawn watering is limited to twice per week regardless of water source. Customers who fail to adhere to these restrictions could face fines and potential liens against real and personal property. View the lawn and landscape irrigation guidelines to learn more.
- Only water your grass when necessary. If your property has recently received rain, hold off on running your irrigation system to best meet plant needs. Over-watering can create issues for your landscape. Be aware of the seasonal needs of your landscape to use your irrigation water most efficiently. Lawns and landscapes typically go dormant during coolers months and do not require much (if any) irrigation during that time of the year. Visit Southwest Florida Water Management District for more tips on watering your lawn efficiently.
- Check for broken sprinkler heads and leaks and make necessary repairs. Broken heads and leaky irrigation lines can waste thousands of gallons of water per cycle.
Are you curious about how much of an impact your irrigation has on your monthly water bill? Check out the Water Conservation Calculator from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
Sprinkler System check-up program
PCU offers a sprinkler system check-up at no cost to help high-volume water users reduce their monthly water consumption and lower their water bill. If you are a PCU customer and you have averaged at least 14,000 gallons of water use per month over a three-month period, you may qualify for an evaluation of your sprinkler system at no cost to you. Each sprinkler system check-up helps reduce irrigation demands and protects Polk County’s water supply. The program is available to single and multi-family homes and commercial businesses.
Conserving Water Indoors
Quick tips:
- Turn off water when brushing teeth. Share this important tip with your family and friends to multiply the savings.
- Choose showers over baths, since bathtubs require more water to fill than a shower would use. Place a bucket in your shower to capture some water while showering to use for potted plants.
- Limit showers from five to 10 minutes. Create a shower playlist on your favorite music app to keep you on track.
- Look for leaks and make repairs. Unrepaired leaks in fixtures can waste thousands of gallons per year.
- Replace old fixtures in the home with water-efficient devices. Click here for information on the EPA’s WaterSense labeled products available.
Other resources
Polk County Utilities staff are available for water conservation presentations for community, neighborhood and educational groups. To request a presentation, or to learn more about water conservation, contact Polk County Utilities at ConserveWater@polk-county.net.
