Sarasota's drinking water comes from the Floridan aquifer, a limestone layer that lies under most of the state. The water in the Floridan aquifer is supplied by rain that has seeped into the ground over hundreds of years.

The average Sarasotan uses 90 gallons of treated water a day. Only about a gallon is actually consumed. The rest is used for swimming, washing, flushing, and irrigation. Normally, we use almost 500,000 gallons a day of our drinking water for irrigation. In a very dry period such as we have had this year, that figure will double. You can think of it as an additional 14,000 bathtubs full of water each day. So, it becomes very important during times of high water use that we practice good conservation techniques.

Irrigation tips that will help you save water and MONEY!

Follow the Southwest Florida Water Management District water use restrictions. You will find them listed below.

Water your lawn only when it needs it. To test if your lawn needs watering, step on the grass. If it springs back up when you move, it doesn't need water. If it lays flat, it needs watering.

When you do irrigate, a good soaking will help build deep healthy roots. Usually, 2/3 to 3/4 of an inch of water per session is sufficient.

Be careful not to over irrigate. Not only does it waste water, but it also flushes nutrients (the fertilizer that you bought) out of the root zone and into the groundwater where it becomes a pollutant.

Install moisture controls, or rain sensors on your central irrigation system. These devices work with your irrigation controller to interrupt the irrigation timer if watering is not needed. An irrigation contractor or home improvement center will have product information.

Keep your irrigation system in good repair. Broken or misdirected sprinkler heads will waste a lot of water.

The Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program is a public education and participation program that was started as an effort to restore our bays and estuaries. The program encourages individuals to change their landscapes to become more environmentally friendly.

Model Florida Yard demonstration sites throughout the community show and explain proper water conservation and pollution control techniques, and how to get good results with your landscape.

Help is just a phone call away. Contact your Sarasota County Cooperative Extension Service Agent at 316-1000.

Water use restrictions

Lawn and landscape watering is limited to two days a week. Addresses ending in even numbers (or A - M) can water on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Addresses ending in odd numbers (or N - Z) can water on Wednesdays and Sundays. Effective May 1, 2000, allowed watering days have been reduced to once per week. Even addresses may water on Tuesdays only and odd addresses on Sundays.

Irrigation is prohibited from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., except irrigation with recycled wastewater, which is allowed any time, any day. Due to the current drought conditions, reclaimed water users must comply with the time of use restrictions. There is no limit to the number of days that reclaimed water irrigation may occur.

Hand watering of plants, excluding lawns, is permitted any day.

Cars may be washed anytime, as long as a hand held hose with a shut-off nozzle is used.

Rinsing boats and flushing boat motors is allowed for 10 minutes daily