THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT’S GOVERNING BOARD ON TUESDAY EXTENDED THE WATERING RESTRICTIONS PUT IN PLACE LAST DECEMBER. DESPITE THE RECENT RAINS, SWIFTMUD SAYS A DRIER THAN NORMAL JUNE HAS RAINFALL TOTALS STILL WELL BELOW NORMAL FOR THE YEAR, AND BECAUSE OF THAT THE DISTRICT FEELS THE NEED TO KEEP THE ONCE-A-WEEK RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE THROUGH OCTOBER. THEY FEEL RIVERS, LAKES, AND GROUNDWATER FROM A DRY WINTER HAS HINDERED THE RECOVERY OF THOSE WATER SOURCES. DESPITE THE LOWER WATER LEVELS, SWIFTMUD REPORTS THAT DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES IS IN GOOD SHAPE BECAUSE OF THE EXPANSION OF RESERVOIRS OVER THE LAST DECADE. SWIFTMUD SAYS IF WE DO NOT MAKE UP THE THREE TO FOUR INCH DEFICIT FROM JUNE THIS SUMMER, THIS WILL BE THE SIXTH STRAIGHT SUMMER OF BELOW AVERAGE RAINFALL, WHICH WOULD BE THE LONGEST STRETCH SINCE THEY BEGAN KEEPING RECORDS IN 1915.
