WEST VILLAGES IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
C/O Special District Services, Inc. 19503 S. West Villages Parkway #A3 Venice, Florida 34293

Dec. 14, 2023

Via U.S. Postal Service

RE: Irrigation Resources
To WVID Homeowners’ and Property Owners’ Associations:

In November, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) declared a modified Phase I water shortage throughout the water management district, which includes Sarasota County and the West Villages Improvement District. The declaration was due to ongoing dry conditions throughout the region amid increased water supply concerns.

SWFWMD received lower than normal rainfall during the 2023 rainy season, resulting in more than a 9- inch rainfall deficit districtwide. Additionally, SWFWMD has reported that water resources throughout the region – which come from local aquifers, rivers and lakes – are beginning to decline.

In response to these conditions, the WVID has taken steps to reduce irrigation water use throughout the District, including limiting the amount of water customers can use above predetermined water allocations. WVID will continue to monitor the drought conditions to determine whether additional reductions are required. These temporary measures will ensure that every community continues to have access to irrigation water during these extremely dry conditions.
The District’s water use permit requires the WVID and the master developer to implement a SWFWMD- approved water conversation plan. The permit also requires customers, such as homeowners and property owners’ associations, to create and implement their own water conservation plans.

Communities throughout the WVID are strongly encouraged to invoke their conservation plans. If such a plan does not exist, communities are asked to create and implement a plan at this time. Conservation plans are especially important as dry conditions continue to persist.

What can you do?
The goal of the water use permit is conservation, allowing for an efficient use of a finite resource. The SWFWMD and the WVID encourage customers to follow best irrigation practices, such as:
Watering your lawn on designated days. Lawn watering is limited to twice per week, and your address determines when you can water your lawn. Even-numbered addresses can water on Thursdays and/or Sundays, while odd-numbered addresses can water their lawns on Wednesday and/or Saturdays. Common areas can be irrigated on Tuesdays and/or Fridays.
Watering your lawn before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. Since evaporation loss can be 60% higher during the day, watering your lawn during the early morning or late evening minimizes evaporation and supports conservation efforts. Also avoid watering on windy days.
Monitoring rainfall and updating your watering schedule accordingly. Be sure your automatic sprinkler system is equipped with a working rain shutoff device, which overrides the system when

enough rain has fallen and automatically resets when the turn needs more water. Regularly check your device to make sure it is working properly and the switch in the control box is set to “on.”
Watering your lawn only as much as needed. Most Florida soils need an average of one-half to three-quarters of an inch of water per application to replenish the grass. An automatic system can provide an efficient method of irrigating lawns since controllers turn the system off after a predetermined amount of water is applied.
Regularly checking your sprinkler heads. Make sure that sprinkler heads are working properly and appropriately positioned to avoid watering paved or non-landscaped areas.
As the agency responsible for the implementation and compliance of the SWFWMD water use permit, the WVID is committed to water conservation efforts, while also ensuring residents have access to irrigation water. For additional information about irrigation resources, visit westvillagesid.org.
Please contact District Manager William Crosley at 941-244-2805 or wcrosley@sdsinc.org with any questions.

Thank you,
West Villages Improvement District