Charlotte County Utilities

Water Restrictions

Revised Schedule — Phase II Water Restrictions

Effective February 1, 2008

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) has extended the Phase II Water Shortage Order through June 30, 2008, limiting lawn watering to once per week throughout the 16-county district.

Effective February 1, 2008, Charlotte County Utilities (CCU) has revised its once-per-week watering schedule to reflect the schedule recommended by SWFWMD and to spread peak demands evenly throughout the week.

While once-per-week irrigation restrictions apply to all properties within the SWFWMD boundaries, utilities other than CCU may enforce different watering schedules. If you are uncertain, please contact the company from which you receive your monthly water bill to verify your watering day.

LAWN AND LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION is limited to once per week. Find your watering day below:

If your address (house number) ends in:
0 or 1        Water only on Monday
2 or 3        Water only on Tuesday
4 or 5        Water only on Wednesday
6 or 7        Water only on Thursday
8 or 9*      Water only on Friday
* and locations without a discernible address

  • Watering is allowed only before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m. for properties smaller than two acres (larger properties may water before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. on the designated day).
  • Once-per-week watering restrictions apply to commercial and residential properties.
  • Water restrictions apply to all water sources: Public and private utilities, wells, canals, lakes, rivers, streams, ponds, etc.
  • Lawns need no more than ¾-inch of water per application.
  • Hand-watering using a container or hose with shut-off nozzle or micro-irrigation of plants or non-lawn areas is allowed as needed.
  • Automatic irrigation systems are required to have rain shut-off devices, per Florida Statutes.
  • Personal vehicle washing is limited to once per week (fundraiser events are allowed). Any hose used should have a shut-off nozzle.
  • Fountains and other aesthetic-only water features may operate only 8 hours per day.
  • Please conserve reclaimed water by using it during the specified irrigation hours.
  • For more information and fact sheets for agriculture, athletic play areas, commercial and industrial water use (other than irrigation) and golf courses, please visit SWFWMD online at www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/conservation/restrictions

NEW LAWNS or plantings may initially need extra water applications to successfully establish. For a 60-day period, beginning the day of installation, new plant material may be watered on ANY day of the week, subject to the following conditions.

  • The specific area of watering must contain at least 50% new plantings. Seeding of existing lawns does not qualify for new planting.
  • Areas that do not contain at least 50% new plantings need to be temporarily watered by some other means, such as hand-watering or a soaker hose, or sprinkler heads need to be adjusted so that only new plants are watered.
  • On the day the plant material is installed, “establishment period” watering can occur once during otherwise restricted hours.
  • After the day of installation, “establishment period” watering must be accomplished during allowable watering hours (before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m., for properties under two acres in size).
  • If new trees, shrubs, potted plants, flower beds, or other NON-LAWN plant material need extra water applications during restricted hours or beyond the standard 60-day exemption, use low-volume technology (hand-watering, micro-irrigation, etc.).
  • Sprigs (typically used for Bermudagrass on athletic fields) may be watered during otherwise restricted times throughout the establishment period. This generally involves several short watering events each day that gradually decrease in number of applications and increase in application amount.
  • If you have questions about how these restrictions apply to your circumstances, please call SWFWMD at 800.848.0499 or 800.423.1476, ext. 4498.


ENFORCEMENT OF WATER RESTRICTIONS
Effective February 1, 2008, CCU staff will begin enforcement of watering restrictions for CCU customers in accordance with Charlotte County Ordinance No. 2007-0075. Customers watering on the wrong day or time may be subject to Unauthorized Water Use Charges which will appear on the monthly Utilities bill. The Sheriff’s Office will continue to enforce water restrictions for all Charlotte County residents.

To allow customers time to adjust to the revised schedule, CCU will not apply Unauthorized Water Use Charges in February 2008; customers watering on the wrong day or time will receive a written warning and educational materials, including a copy of the revised watering schedule. Beginning March 1, 2008, CCU customers in violation of the schedule may be subject to unauthorized water usage charges after the second documented occurrence.

CCU will continue to follow the policies of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD), which may include tighter watering restrictions, should the drought continue. Please review the revised schedule and make note of your new watering day.

We appreciate your cooperation as we work together to conserve water, our most precious natural resource. For more details on current water restrictions, visit www.CharlotteCountyFL.com and select Utilities from the department list on the left, or call CCU at 941.764.4300.


CCU UNAUTHORIZED WATER USE CHARGES
First offense                              Written Warning
Second offense                         $250
Third or subsequent offense        $500