Drought, Desalination Plant Woes Force More Groundwater Pumping
By Neil Johnson The Tampa Tribune
Published: March 17, 2009

With rivers gurgling to a trickle and the desalination plant limping because of mechanical problems, water suppliers are turning up the pumps to tap groundwater at a rate not seen since 2002.
Last week the region's water supplier shut down the plant that treats river water. That happened as its massive reservoir in southern Hillsborough went dry, unable to provide another drop to the thirsty Tampa Bay region.
On Monday, Tampa Bay Water sent 213 million gallons of water to residents in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties. Of that, about 198 million gallons came from the aquifer. The balance came from the utility's desalination plant.
Demands on groundwater will only grow as the state enters its driest, hottest months when water use peaks and a three-year drought continues.
By May, wells could be asked to provide around 210 million gallons a day with the bulk coming from 11 wellfields in northern Hillsborough and southern Pasco. Wellfields scattered over central and southern Hillsborough will also add groundwater to the supply.
That is if the desalination plant in Apollo Beach can get back to its capacity of 25 million gallons a day, said Alison Adams, senior manager with Tampa Bay Water, the utility that provides water for Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, St. Petersburg, Tampa and New Port Richey.


Looks like it's time to step up the water conservation! Here are some ideas I want to work on, and they all make mom roll her eyes and say I'm nuts...

• The outdoor shower - use the water twice plan, want to set up a length of black tubing with water in it to heat in the sun, and send the used water out into the yard via a soaker hose or drip system.
• put the 5 gallon bucket back into the shower, again using the water twice. I did this in the bathroom and kitchen for a while, but emptying the bucket is a long, heavy (sloshing) walk outside so I need to refine this a little.
• Install the water interuptor in the shower, turning the water on and off can be a little shocking to the system, my system that is, because you have to cycle through the cold to get to off and back on, would be better to just stop the flow out the shower head while soaping, shaving etc.
• less lawn! Interested in planting perrenial peanut instead of a turf yard - needs no irrigation once established and no fertilizer etc. can be walked on and needs little mowing to maintain. Unfortunately the hard freeze we had a few months ago has cut back on supplies, so it might be hard to find right now.
• If it's yellow let it mellow if it's brown flush it down.

I might be just one person in the grand scheme of things but it will make me feel better doing something - and I love the challenge!