81.6 F
Ocala
Thursday, April 25, 2024

City using wellfield to meet rising water demands, improve water pressure

The City of Ocala Water Resources Department will soon begin to pump, disinfect, and distribute water from a supplemental offsite water wellfield to better meet the city’s increased water demands and improve water pressure.

Due to the location of the well, water pumped from it will not undergo lime softening treatment, which removes the water hardness (calcium and magnesium) without impacting the taste, color, or smell of the water that customers receive.

All water sent to City of Ocala customers will be disinfected, and it will also meet Safe Drinking Water Act standards.

Throughout Florida, April is traditionally the driest month of the year, and water demand tends to rise as a result. To reduce the strain on natural resources, customers are encouraged to practice water conservation techniques every day.

To help reduce water consumption, customers can shorten the length of showers, reduce or cease irrigation times, and only wash full loads of laundry. Additional water-saving tips can be viewed on the City of Ocala’s water conservation webpage.

The City of Ocala encourages customers to reduce their outdoor water usage by following the city’s irrigation ordinance (Sec. 118-138):

  • During Daylight Saving Time, residential landscape irrigation at odd-numbered addresses, or for properties with no address, may occur only on Wednesday and Saturday, and shall not occur between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
  • Residential landscape irrigation at even-numbered addresses may occur only on Thursday and Sunday, and shall not occur between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
  • No more than three-fourths of an inch of water may be applied per irrigation zone on each day that irrigation occurs. Additionally, irrigation should occur for no longer than one hour per irrigation zone on each day that irrigation occurs.

For more information, contact the City of Ocala’s Water Resources Department at 352-351-6772.