Jeff Cole, Director Communications and Governmental Affairs (386) 937-0498 jcole@sjrwmd.com

PALATKA, Fla., Oct. 22, 2009 - Starting Sunday, Nov. 1, landscape irrigation will be limited to one day a week across the 18 counties of the St. Johns River Water Management District.

Last March, the District adopted more stringent watering restrictions to ensure the efficient use of water for lawn and landscape irrigation. One of the most important ways to help meet Florida's water supply needs for today and the future is through conservation.

Lawn and landscape irrigation often accounts for more than half of residential water use. Watering wisely promotes healthier lawns and landscapes and conserves Florida's precious water resources.

Because lawns need significantly less water in Florida's winter months, landscape irrigation is limited to one day a week on the following schedule when Eastern Standard Time is in effect:

Saturday at addresses that end in an odd number or have no address

Sunday at addresses that end in an even number

Tuesday for nonresidential landscape irrigation

No irrigation allowed between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

In addition, irrigation is limited to 3/4 inch of water per irrigation zone and to no more than one hour per irrigation zone.

When daylight saving time returns on March 14, 2010, landscape irrigation will return to the two-day-a-week schedule.

The restrictions apply to water withdrawn from ground or surface water, from a private well or pump, or from a public or private water utility, but they do not apply to irrigation using reclaimed water or storm water.

For complete information about the District's watering restrictions and exceptions to the rule, visit floridaswater.com/wateringrestrictions on the District's Web site.