0 A water shortage order was issued last week by the South Florida Water Management District as a warning that mandatory cutbacks may follow.
While the Water Management District’s board of directors stopped short of requiring reduced water use, the order emphasizes the importance of following year-round yard irrigation rules and asks people to increase voluntary water-conservation efforts.
The year-round watering rules approved in 2010 allow people to water their lawns two days per week in most counties.
Watering should not be done between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
“This effort will help your water supply last through the remainder of the dry season.” South Florida rains usually pick up in mid-May.
Despite receiving only 46 percent of normal rainfall since November, Palm Beach County’s drought conditions improved slightly this week.
According to the National Drought Mitigation Center, 63 percent of the county is considered “abnormally dry” — the lowest level on a five-tier drought scale.
About 26 percent of the county is in a “moderate drought” and 11 percent in a “severe drought.” Last week, about 60 percent of the county was in the moderate drought range.
That’s up from 13 percent last week.
As of Thursday, there were 92 active wildfires on state land.