Opinion: Florida’s Water Woes Not Likely To Wither
July 29, 2012 
As Florida’s commissioner of agriculture, one of my top priorities is to address the water issues challenging our state. Not only do we have a limited amount of water, but we’re consuming it rapidly. Floridians used roughly 6.9 billion gallons per day of fresh water in 2010 and that number is expected to increase to 8.2 billion gallons per day by 2030 — a 19% increase over a 20-year period.
We don’t have the supply to source this growing demand for water and, at the current rate, we will not be able to meet the needs of Florida residents for much longer. We see growing examples of this situation every day, from prolonged groundwater drawdowns in the eastern portion of the Suwannee River Water Management District, to the limited groundwater available in the greater Orlando and Tampa Bay areas, to the ongoing water shortages in South Florida.
Business Matters
An insufficient water supply not only limits our potential now, but it also will hinder our economic growth in the future. If we want to attract businesses and create jobs, we must make sure we have the water supply to meet their needs. We must find ways to not only grow our water supply, but also use existing resources more wisely.
Therefore, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is working with the industry to help producers implement best management practices (BMPs). BMPs are designed to protect water quality by reducing runoff and leaching of nutrients into Florida’s surface and groundwaters and to enhance water conservation. Across Florida, more than 7 million acres of farm, ranch, nursery, and forest lands are taking advantage of the programs the Department offers to protect and conserve water resources, and the number continues to grow, with 826,840 acres enrolled last year alone.
Irrigation On The Go
We’re bringing BMPs directly to Florida’s agricultural producers through the Mobile Irrigation Lab (MIL) program. The department’s 17 MILs located throughout the state provide free-of-charge, site-specific expertise in analyzing irrigation systems and educating property owners on how to improve water conservation by making simple adjustments to existing systems. While MILs initially targeted agricultural water use, they also assist residential and commercial water users. Landscapers, nurseries, and golf courses are just a few businesses who also have benefited from the education and guidance provided by MILs.
Over seven years, MILs have conducted more than 8,000 evaluations and more than 1,500 follow-up visits on a total of 185,592 acres of land. As a result of implementing MIL recommendations, agriculture has saved more than 8 billion gallons of water, with approximately 1 billion gallons of water saved in just the last year. Though we’re making a difference, there’s still much work to be done.
For more information about MILs and other water conservation efforts, please visit FreshFromFlorida.com.