While area residents face a 10 percent water surcharge fee due to dry weather, the Southwest Florida Water Management District is reviewing an application to withdraw 2.3 million gallons of water or more daily from Florida aquifers for the Villages of Southern Oaks development.
The application by the Southwest Wildwood Water Conservation Authority, a Villages-related entity based at Lake Sumter Landing, was submitted April 28 and a legal notice was published last week.
Although the published notice lists the quantity of 2.3 million gallons daily, charts provided with the application indicate the daily demand could be much higher.
Peak month withdrawal rates for all uses including residential, commercial, amenities, roadway, open space and golf courses could be as high as 11.1 million gallons daily, according to the statistics. Nearly a million gallons of the daily demand could be met with reclaimed waste water and another million gallons could be provided by storm water.
Expected to include up to 11,000 homes on 4,518 acres on both sides of the Florida Turnpike, Southern Oaks also will have 328,000 square feet of commercial, recreational and other non-residential uses. It also may include a $36-million extension of Buena Vista Boulevard between State Road 44 and County Road 468.
In a May 12 letter to the conservation authority, professional geologist Luke LeMond of the state Water Use Permit Bureau requested more information and clarification of project plans.
LeMond asked the authority to provide detailed drawings of the six proposed developments showing the location of golf courses, roads, homes and surface water ponds to justify the requested irrigation quantities.
He said the state water management district will not approve irrigation of golf course roughs, cart paths and sand traps, but only tees and greens.
LeMond also expressed concern about the effect of the withdrawal on wetlands, springs and Lake Okahumpka. He asked the authority to provide assurances that the withdrawal will not harm wildlife habitat.
The geologist also asked how the authority will guard against over-watering by residents and requested a copy of the water rate structure.
He gave the authority 90 days to provide the additional information.
