Florida receives more than 70 percent of its rainfall within just three months. And we know that when it rains…it really does pour at certain times of the year. Florida receives nearly half of its rainfall during the months of June, July and August and receives an average of 54 inches of rainfall per year. However, there are certain months where there is little to no rainfall at all. Much of the rainwater is lost as storm water runoff, so being able to capture rain water and use it during the drier months will help Florida prepare for the expected increase of 28 percent more water by 2030. Throughout the past 20 years, Florida has become a national leader in the reuse of water.
Approximately 719 million gallons per day of reclaimed water was reused for beneficial purposes in recent years. Currently, there are 482 facilities providing recycled water in our state. By the year 2030, Floridians will need 1.3 billion more gallons of water every day. The challenge for Florida will be how to prepare for population increases, record visitation to Florida and further increases expected, as well as, more business expansions and relocations to Florida. Adopting smart growth policies will benefit small businesses and families by growing the private sector, in addition to, protecting Florida’s natural resources for the future. Enacting strong, science-based water quality standards and other solutions that take into account the needs of Floridians and our precious natural resources, while encouraging the use of alternative water supplies, such as reclaimed water, will help promote sustainable economic growth. Families and businesses can participate in water conservation as a whole, by installing moisture sensors on irrigation systems, watering only when needed or installing water efficient toilets, faucets and showerheads.
