Water's Invisible Journey

Most of our drinking water comes from groundwater aquifers -- which are replenished primarily by rain. Rain falls on the land, and some is stored in lakes, rivers and wetlands. That water very gradually moves through the soil into aquifers.

The southern part of the region is very densely developed, and draws drinking water primarily from the Biscayne Aquifer, which is one of the richest in the world. This aquifer is also easily reached, which can make both access and contamination easier.

To the north and the southwest, aquifers are much smaller, deeper and more isolated from one another. This makes these parts of the region more susceptible to water shortages and drought. That's why, in cooperation with SFWMD, Lee and Collier County in southwest Florida last year adopted more stringent year round restrictions.

When rain is scarce, as it often is during the dry season, water is still being taken from our aquifers: our thirst is constant even when the rains are not. In fact, the average resident in south and central Florida uses approximately 175 gallons of fresh water every day, with more than half of that used to maintain lush landscapes.

Multiply that daily total by 365 days, and you get a yearly average of 63,875 gallons! Our current population is about 7.5 million. Multiply that by the average use for the year, and the total is staggering, and does not include the water used by tourists and other part-time visitors!