Perhaps I'm being unnecessarily peevish about this, but how does the city expect citizens to take water conservation seriously when this is going on in broad daylight?
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(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4642057979_d7dc8b6cda.jpg)
I took these photos just before two in the afternoon, on Main Street in Springfield between 7th & 8th. The city has all these PSAs telling people not to water their lawns during the day, and away they go, not only watering in the very middle of the afternoon, but two of the sprinkler heads are busted and just pouring gallons of water straight into the gutter.
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To whom does one complain about this sort of thing?
Really sad. Several years ago when the Main St. landscaping plans were up for review, there were many people in the neighborhood who fought hard against the idea of sprinklers and high-water use plants in the medians. Most opponents cited just this type of water waste as something to avoid and wanted Springfield to push for greener landscaping solutions. Alas, they did not win the day.
If Jax wanted to save a ton of cash, ceasing to put irrigation in medians, parking lots, and strip malls is a good place to start. Several species of plants managed to survive in Florida before sprinklers.
The larger question: Why "save" water? For what?
For future growth.We have agreed to permit future harmful unsustainable use with or withour "saving".
The Floridan Aquifer only has so much water. The restrictions are geared more towards making sure we have enough water for basic daily functions in the future, and irrigation is not a necessary function.
We need to get desalnization on the fast track, and I wouldn't mind paying more in my JEA bill to pay for it.
Xeriscape plant list for North Florida:
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/05/04274/plantlist.html
I sent a link of your post and reported this on Tuesday to the City's Right-of-Way and Grounds Maintenance Division. I was told "that job is under warranty by Coxwell for the next 8 to 10 months and they are responsible for the system." Coxwell (the contractor) was told to adjust the timers and the sprayheads. Hopefully, they will follow through.
Why are they not catching and storing rain water?
Quote from: JC on June 03, 2010, 10:53:08 PM
Why are they not catching and storing rain water?
Better yet, why is JEA so late in getting reclaimed water for agricultural use?
http://www.jea.com/community/reclaim.asp
QuoteIn 2009, JEA is providing more than 10 million gallons of reclaimed water per day to our customers and in doing so, conserving 10 million gallons of fresh water each day.
Now look at Clay County:
http://www.clayutility.org/conservation/reclaim_water_initiatives.aspx
QuoteCurrently, 64 percent of the wastewater treatment facilities in the District provide reclaimed water for reuse. About 35 percent of the 286 million gallons of wastewater treated every day is reused.
In easier terms, JEA which has a much bigger footprint provides 10 million gallons a day of reclaimed water compared to Clay Utility which provides 286 million gallons a day, of which over 100 million gallons a day is used.
So no, I do not feel guilty watering my lawn when I want to.
Quote from: jandar on June 04, 2010, 09:25:25 AM
Quote from: JC on June 03, 2010, 10:53:08 PM
Why are they not catching and storing rain water?
Better yet, why is JEA so late in getting reclaimed water for agricultural use?
http://www.jea.com/community/reclaim.asp
QuoteIn 2009, JEA is providing more than 10 million gallons of reclaimed water per day to our customers and in doing so, conserving 10 million gallons of fresh water each day.
Now look at Clay County:
http://www.clayutility.org/conservation/reclaim_water_initiatives.aspx
QuoteCurrently, 64 percent of the wastewater treatment facilities in the District provide reclaimed water for reuse. About 35 percent of the 286 million gallons of wastewater treated every day is reused.
In easier terms, JEA which has a much bigger footprint provides 10 million gallons a day of reclaimed water compared to Clay Utility which provides 286 million gallons a day, of which over 100 million gallons a day is used.
So no, I do not feel guilty watering my lawn when I want to.
The disparity is because Clay Utility infrastructure was initially built to allow re-use.
Vast expense and effort to retrofit the old stuff.
Jea can hope to promise only a little more GPD reuse from the existing network.
But even some of the newer JEA stuff is nowhere near what Clay does.
When you rip a road up and lay new pipe, put down reclaimed water pipes as well.
JEA doesn't always do this.
From today's Daily Record
http://jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=531206 (http://jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=531206)
QuoteCity prepares to require ‘Florida-Friendly’ landscapes
by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
New construction projects will be subject to “Florida-Friendly†landscape practices if a proposed ordinance is approved in the coming months.
Staff from the City’s Planning and Developing Department met with the Jacksonville Waterways Commission Thursday to discuss changes to the City’s zoning code that are included in proposed ordinance 2009-864.
These changes were developed to make the City’s code consistent with the State’s “Florida-Friendly†practices.
In the new legislation, the term “Florida-Friendly†would replace “Xeriscape†in the City’s landscape and tree protection regulations. “Florida-Friendly†is defined as “a landscaping that maximizes the conservation of water by the use of site-appropriate plants - right plant in the right place methodology, efficient watering systems, appropriate, fertilization, mulching, attraction of wildlife, responsible management of pests, recycling of yard waste, reduction of stormwater runoff and waterfront protection.â€
“I’m here to introduce Ordinance 2009-864, which is the inclusion of ‘Florida-Friendly’ landscape practices and irrigation design standards into our landscape codes,†said Mark Shelton of the City’s Planning and Development Department.
“This specific revision is applicable only to new public agency projects and private projects, including industrial, commercial, recreational and multifamily residential. Much of the work was comprised of developing additional definitions to help implement Florida-Friendly standards.â€
New definitions included in the ordinance include best management practices, pressure regulating devices, hardscape, water-wise irrigation and water-wise principles.
Though not included in the ordinance, single-family residences were “highly encouraged to follow the Best Management Practices for Florida-Friendly landscape, Water Wise irrigation and Water Wise principles.â€
Part of Shelton’s presentation was to explain why the new legislation was necessary.
“What is ‘Florida-Friendly’ landscaping and why should we revise our code to include it?,†said Shelton. “It improves aesthetics. They are an important part of any landscaping feature, commercial or industrial. Through ‘Florida-Friendly’ landscaping, you can still maintain the beauty and make it more adaptable to the existing conditions,†he said.
He also emphasized water conservation. “With our current water issues, it is critical that we have the right plants in the right place that require less water usage.â€
The irrigation maintenance and design portion of the ordinance included a new irrigation device, micro-irrigation.
“Our current code didn’t really speak much to micro-irrigation,†said Shelton. “We’ve expounded on that.â€
In micro-irrigation systems, water is distributed using an extensive hydraulic pipe network that conveys water from its source to the plant, according to the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences extension.
“This is pretty comprehensive,†said City Council member John Crescimbeni. “I’d like to have more time to digest this and bring it back at our next meeting.â€
Planning and Development Department staff encouraged the Commission to take time to study the changes because it was the first of two sets of changes.
“It is a conversation that will continue, especially building up for the residential piece,†said Lisa Rinaman, policy director for the mayor’s office. “There will probably be more people in this room when we talk about the application for residential landscaping.â€
The Commission voted to take time to review the 20-page ordinance and discuss it at the July 8 meeting.
Daily Record's Jim bailey is a Waterways Commission memeber.
What effective role would the Waterways Commission have in formal/legal placement,promotion of the proposed rules?
See also today' FTU Littlepage editorial-Waterways Commission
Quote from: jandar on June 09, 2010, 06:39:22 AM
But even some of the newer JEA stuff is nowhere near what Clay does.
When you rip a road up and lay new pipe, put down reclaimed water pipes as well.
JEA doesn't always do this.............
I worked at a development where the reclaimed water system, purple pipe, was fed by a deep well.
QuoteI worked at a development where the reclaimed water system, purple pipe, was fed by a deep well.
Are you saying that they were not telling the truth when they said it was "reclaimed water"? If so, I wonder why they bothered? Most people don't care where the landscaping irrigation in their development comes from as long as they don't have to pay for it.
Quote from: Dog Walker on June 11, 2010, 03:59:30 PM
QuoteI worked at a development where the reclaimed water system, purple pipe, was fed by a deep well.
Are you saying that they were not telling the truth when they said it was "reclaimed water"? If so, I wonder why they bothered? Most people don't care where the landscaping irrigation in their development comes from as long as they don't have to pay for it.
Developer was more advanced than the water treatment plant. It is not unusual. World of Golf was similar for years.