Alachua County requirements for commercial irrigation systems
Press release from Alachua County
ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Updates to the Landscape Irrigation Design and Maintenance Standards code took effect on June 12, 2023. Commercial properties within Alachua County with permanent irrigation systems are now required to register their system and submit an annual irrigation system maintenance report detailing water conservation activities to repair leaks, correct overspray, adjust scheduling, and address other issues that reduce efficiency and wastewater.
“Annual maintenance has been required for all permanent irrigation systems since the code was adopted in 2016,” said Eliana Bardi, a water conservation coordinator with the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department. “The addition of the annual reporting requirement for commercial systems aims to curb unnecessary water waste that results from damaged systems and changing site conditions that may go unaddressed. We often find that the person paying the water bill has never seen the site and does not realize the bill is high due to leaks.”
Rebates are currently offered through the irrigation level-up rebate program to assist property owners with repairs and upgrades. Eligible commercial properties may qualify for a 50% rebate up to $8,000 per property for repairs and upgrades that curb water use and improve efficiency.
Learn more about the annual maintenance reporting requirement.
And yet, UF waters their concrete sidewalks and streets all day long because their irrigation systems point everywhere but the grass.
which is absolutely a problem, but a state problem, since thats who runs UF.
UF uses “gray water” treated from sewer systems. Rest flows into Lake Alice.
And UF gets it water FREE from GRU because of a deal made in 1905. And pays Duke Electric for its electric , not GRU
Sounds like they’ve got better business acumen than the incompetent city leaders.
GRU still charges them for the “delivery” of the water.
The ever increasing 👁️
How fascist of them.
Total BS… can they control the vagrants & panhandlers or the gun violence/crime crisis instead? I thought the paper straws & the biomass plant was supposed to save the planet 🌏 ‼️ did they check with the DEI officer before they did this?
Sounds like, for once, some one has done something that is needful, that will stop the rest of us from helping pay the careless ones water bill.
Well sieg heil Alachua County! What will you decide to mirco- manage next? How much air we take in per breath?
The county is probably going to require an ‘application fee’ and ‘memebership fee’ in addition to creating new positions for, lets say, $75,000/year salary for the person(s) who organizes, inspects, and maintains commercial irrigation matters herein…a whole new division with ‘new’ jobs created…. what a sham.. guess who’s paying for it too.
Déjà Vu. How many times have we seen something like this from either the city or county?
Something they claim will save money will actually cost more.
At this rate I bet they are thinking about bringing back vehicle inspecions. You know, because money.
More governance requirements. More costs for doing business, more interference in peoples lives. More unnecessary regulations. And exactly what purpose does it serve? You even tax people for it raining. IOW, no matter how you get water, our local governments are going to tax you and then charge you again to get rid of it. This is freedom?
Water is a common resource and commercial irrigation is a non-productive use. We’re not talking about watering crops or livestock. The resource is showing signs of stress with our declining spring and our increasing population means higher water usage.
Of course our government should try to conserve this resource, and irrigation is the least important use to control. There will be residential irrigation regulations for new homes and developments coming soon – good, and too bad the GOP has been busy crippling the states water management districts going back to Scott and also purposefully hamstrung the amendment voters overwhelmingly approved to protect our springs. Elect Democrats if you care about the environment.
Opposite is true, see my post below.
Related: fertilizer bans in summertime don’t work, they should be banned in dry months (fall and spring) instead — latest research says.
But if most of the voters in Alachua County are Democrats, and they care so much for the environment; why would we need government to enact legislation?
Another local Dem-created problem needing more gumment to regulate: allowing sprawl only on the most vulnerable aquifer recharge area of the county, the the westside. Instead of the eastern county (where the BOCC voted down Plum Creek plan), the most naturally invulnerable aquifer area, for a much less likely to be harmed groundwater.
The BOCC is just like Biden: causing more problems requiring more gumment later to “fix” 💩👹🍦🍦🍦D
Other issues were involved in the denial of the Plum Creek plan and the sparse development on the East side, and recently the City Commission approved a large development on similar land on SR 121.
Local governments have been hamstrung by the state GOP on this front, including bills passed just last year, but also removing state review of developments of significant impact several years ago, part of requirements Democrats initiated decades ago. Gutting the WMDs is only part of this. You’re kidding yourself if you think the GOP is on your side on sprawl, unless you favor it..
The same GRU that want a resident/customer to buy another water meter (~$2000 to install and turn up) if you have an irrigation system so you don’t get charged for sewer use for water that goes onto your lawn.
The same GRU that keep telling us we need to save water to bring our bills down but a few years ago raised the rates because they were not making enough money due to the fact that people were using less water. This is another local racket to make more money to spend on stupid stuff like bike trails and gun buy backs.
Here is an ez idea. Deliberately put sprinklers that spray on public sidewalks. Put them on timers to come on randomly three or four times per night for ten minutes. Sure would “encourage” the homeless to dwell somewhere else, and we would be world famous for clean sidewalks.